Nasa reveals final shuttle dates

[Notebook]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7495302.stm

The US space agency (Nasa) has fixed the dates of its last shuttle flights. The final orbiter to launch before the whole fleet goes into retirement will be Endeavour on 31 May, 2010.

N.

 

[bujin]

That gives me just under 2 years to get to Florida then!

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The article states that the Ares vehicle is to be demonstrated before the STS standown - is that program really that far along that something will be launched by 2010?

 

[DaveS]

The article states that the Ares vehicle is to be demonstrated before the STS standown - is that program really that far along that something will be launched by 2010?

No. All they have is a very bad mock-up called Ares 1X which to be launched from 39B in 2009.

Ares 1X is nothing more than a standard 4-segment RSRM which an inert dummy 5th segment and dummy upperstage with a dummy Orion CM.

 

[Spicer]

I don't see anything "bad" about the Aries 1x. It's a test vehicle. If they're going to put people on top of an SRB, they need to make sure it's going to work!

 

[DaveS]

I don't see anything "bad" about the Aries 1x. It's a test vehicle. If they're going to put people on top of an SRB, they need to make sure it's going to work!

Ares 1X is nothing like the real Ares. The propellant will be different, the first stage seperation environment will be different.

Just about everything will be wrong Ares 1X compared to Ares 1. It's akin to launching a Saturn 1B to wrangle the bugs out of a Titan IIIC!

Heck, even the pad will be different! The estimated cost for this PR stunt is about $450 million! You could get another shuttle flight for that!

If Ares 1X turns bad, don't expect NASA to lose any sleep over it as it doesn't represent the real Ares 1 in any way, shape or form.

 

[Urwumpe]

Heck, even the pad will be different! The estimated cost for this PR stunt is about $450 million! You could get another shuttle flight for that!

Hey, isn't Orion all about PR?

I have not yet found anything on it,which is justified by engineering, science or actual demands... it is just returning to the moon... and see if something can be done there.

 

[ar81]

Ok, after 2010 we are again confined to Earth, if it wasn't for RKA or ESA...

 

[Zatnikitelman]

When do they start selling tickets to go down and see the final shuttle flight? I am marking that date on my calendar now!

 

[Woo482]

whats nasa doing witch the shuttles after they are retired ? Selling them ?

 

[DaveS]

whats nasa doing witch the shuttles after they are retired ? Selling them ?

No. They will be placed in museums. Which ones is TBA.

 

[Woo482]

oh ok

 

[simonpro]

Hey, isn't Orion all about PR?

I have not yet found anything on it,which is justified by engineering, science or actual demands... it is just returning to the moon... and see if something can be done there.

Zing!:rofl:

 

[Pilot7893]

No. They will be placed in museums. Which ones is TBA.

I hope one of those museums is the Boston museum of Science

 

[DaveS]

I hope one of those museums is the Boston museum of Science

Doubtful. They will most likely go to areas with strong aerospace history. And Boston isn't one of them.

This is the most likely candidates to get an orbiter:
NASM
KSC
JSC
Palmdale

 

[Zatnikitelman]

I bet it'll be KSC, Smithsonian, and perhaps one kept in Mothballs if anything. KSC's got the land, Smithsonian's got the background and you never know...

 

[DaveS]

I bet it'll be KSC, Smithsonian, and perhaps one kept in Mothballs if anything. KSC's got the land, Smithsonian's got the background and you never know...

All three(four if you count Enterprise that's already at NASM's Udvar-Hazy museum) will be going to museums.

None will be without a home once the program is over.

 

[Kyle]

Well, I say
Discovery goes to NASM
Atlantis goes to KSC
Endeavour goes to JSC
Enterprise to California

 

[ryan]

I think if Columbia was still with us, it would of been very fitting if it did the last flight, and it will be just over the top if they had John Young and Rob Crippin return from retirement to fly it.

 

[Arrowstar]

I wouldn't mind seeing one go to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, though I suppose it would deteriorate rather rapidly, as the Center still has to raise funds to keep its Saturn V in decent condition, much less an orbiter....