Slashdot Mirror


Space Shuttle External Tank Webcam

mpd2014 writes "When the next shuttle takes off to the space station on October 2nd it will have a new webcam attached to the external tank that is sure to provide spectacular images. If you're interested in the schematics and technical details NASA has also made those available."

8 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. It has been onboard already by jukal · · Score: 5, Informative
    According to this release by the company which makes the RocketCams: "2002 Aug 21: Two Ecliptic RocketCam(TM) systems have provided launch-to-orbit onboard views during the inaugural launch of the Atlas 5 rocket. The launch was a complete success, taking Eutelsat's Hotbird 6 comsat from Cape Canaveral and placing it into the desired transfer orbit. Both RocketCam(TM) cameras captured dramatic views looking aft: one from outside the Atlas 5's second-stage skin and one from inside the aft end of the second stage. "

    Apparently, this is just the first time it can be publicly accessed.

    1. Re:It has been onboard already by FrostedWheat · · Score: 5, Informative

      And this section of there website, you can view these videos. Very much publicly accessible.

      They even provide MPEGs for those Quicktime-impared.

    2. Re:It has been onboard already by Planetes · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually it's been done several times. If you go to Space.com or Spaceflightnow.com you can see archive clips of rocket launches. My personal favorites are of the Mars Odyssey 2001 launch.

      It's really neat watching the rocket's SRBs seperate and spiral off.

      --
      Planetes
      "One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promo Ad
      "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer" - Adolf Hitl
  2. It's a Rocketcam! Wohoo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    This is really what the shuttle has been missing. After watching dozens of launches through streaming meadia, shuttle really has been behind Delta and others which have had the rocketcam for years. I am sure going to be following the next launch closely.

    For previous rocketcam footage, check http://www.eclipticenterprises.com/gallery_rocketc am.shtml.

  3. Until this shows up - check out GBR! by Oggust · · Score: 2, Informative
    While you're waiting for the NASA stuff - Check these guys out:

    The Gates brothers flies some of the coolest rockets in HPR today, and they have hands-down the best video.

    /August, especially likes the pad-cams and any staging separations.

    --
    "An object declared as type _Bool is large enough to store the values 0 and 1." -- 6.1.2.5, C99 standard.
  4. Re:Not liftoff by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Informative

    "The good pictures will be from seperation and re-entry."

    Um... no. Obviously you haven't seen this flick here (some stills are available here). The video from a similar camera mounted on a Delta II is simply stunning. Seriously, I can't begin to describe how beautiful it is, you need to go watch it. I have yet to get tired of watching it.

    Re-entry pictures are going to be few if any. But I'm already drooling at the thought of video like this from a shuttle launch.

  5. Re:Not liftoff by ek_adam · · Score: 2, Informative

    The tank is not built to withstand vacuum. Some of the resins in the external tank would start to sublimate in vacuum. It would last for a several days in space, but not the months or years that would be required for a space station.

    They could redesign an external tank that would survive in space, but it would be significantly heavier and would greatly reduce the payload.

  6. ET reuse by dpilot · · Score: 3, Informative

    The name of the story was, "Tank Farm Dynamo" about a privatized effort to reuse external tank, written by David Brin. I read it as part of a collection bound in dead tree form, but it's available on the web at: http://www.orbit6.com/et/tankfarm.htm

    --
    The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.