Interesting Space Shuttle Facts

[NTMD8R_SS]

Try and get pics, that would be pretty cool.

[Hrtbeat1]

Doubt it. It used to be open access as long as you were on base, but now they have a seperate gate with guards at the entrance to the test platform area. However if they are doing one of the larger tests they sometimes open it up to the public.

 

[KissMySilvSS]

If you want to see that you will have to watch one soon. In the next few years they are going to retire the Shuttle. My brother in law works at NASA in Houston and was saying that they are going to be going back to the Luner Pods like what they used in the 60's. Not sure why but to save in cost or something.

 

Its because we are going back to the moon

[SS Silv]

The base where I work does all the testing of the engines. The test platform is about 3 miles from my building and when they do even a 30 sec test burn it rattles the whole building. There is a 10 mile buffer zone around the base just in case of a mis-hap. There is a special canal built, complete with a set of locks, so they can transport the engines to and from the test platform.

 

Yea 44 million HP. Now you are talking power!

 

 

I saw that on the tv show, How do they do it. That is what sparked my interest for this thread.

[victorredss]

It's on my list of things to do in my lifetime, I've always wanted to see it live.

 

Mr. P.

[Hrtbeat1]

I saw that on the tv show, How do they do it. That is what sparked my interest for this thread.

 

Not exactly sure as I don't work for NASA or their contractors (I work for the Navy, we just happen to be based at a NASA facility.) But I think the engines are assembled at the Michoud facility in Chalmette, LA then transported by a special barge ship to Stennis Space Center (where I work.) The engines are then mounted to this huge platform that has all the stuff needed to power them up, monitor them, fuel them, ect. Then they light them off to test them out. I do know that at the Michoud facility they work with the solid rocket boosters also. Prepping them and applying the insulation too the outside of the booster. This is the stuff that came off and damaged the tiles to more than one of the Shuttles. The boosters are then sent to Kennedy via the same special barge where they are mated with the rest of the Shuttle for launch.

 

At Stennis they also are testing the next generation of engines.

 

I also saw the History channel show on the Shuttle, but it was a couple of months ago. Modern Marvels I think it was.

 

[SS Silv]

Not exactly sure as I don't work for NASA or their contractors (I work for the Navy, we just happen to be based at a NASA facility.) But I think the engines are assembled at the Michoud facility in Chalmette, LA then transported by a special barge ship to Stennis Space Center (where I work.) The engines are then mounted to this huge platform that has all the stuff needed to power them up, monitor them, fuel them, ect. Then they light them off to test them out. I do know that at the Michoud facility they work with the solid rocket boosters also. Prepping them and applying the insulation too the outside of the booster. This is the stuff that came off and damaged the tiles to more than one of the Shuttles. The boosters are then sent to Kennedy via the same special barge where they are mated with the rest of the Shuttle for launch.

 

At Stennis they also are testing the next generation of engines.

 

I also saw the History channel show on the Shuttle, but it was a couple of months ago. Modern Marvels I think it was.

 

 

You know I meant the TV SHOW named "How do they do it?"

Edited April 11, 2008 by SS Silv (see edit history)

[Hrtbeat1]

 

Thought it was Modern Marvels but like I said it was a couple of months ago so you may be right.