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Images of Endeavour's Damaged Tiles

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that-sure-doesn't-look-good dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Neptec Design Group, a Canadian company and a NASA prime contractor for 25 space missions, was kind enough to send me exclusive images of Endeavour's damaged tiles during its last take-off. So here are some of these pictures" The pictures are pretty amazing and make the urgency of this whole thing much more amazing.

17 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. Endeavour: by kaleco · · Score: 4, Funny

    "it's just a flesh wound"

    --
    Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped. Calvin Coolidge
    1. Re:Endeavour: by superstick58 · · Score: 2, Funny

      "I've had worse!"

    2. Re:Endeavour: by ashitaka · · Score: 3, Funny

      "No it isn't!, Your wings come off!"

      Riding the TGV to hell.

      --
      If you don't want to repeat the past, stop living in it.
  2. Re:Roland by Mannerism · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nay, 'tis not to be. Like Lance before him, he too shall continue to plague the Earth's surface.

    --
    Please donate your spare CPU cycles to help fight cancer and other diseases
  3. Exclusive? Yeah right... by ExE122 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I bet those are pictures of Roland's bathroom floor.

    --
    Capitalism: When it uses the carrot, it's called democracy. When it uses the stick, its called facism.

    --
    Capitalism: When it uses the carrot, it's called democracy. When it uses the stick, it's called fascism.
  4. That was the problem by ipjohnson · · Score: 2, Funny

    the rocket scientist weren't allowed to do there jobs before smart ass.

    1. Re:That was the problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      The rocket scientists weren't allowed to do where jobs before smart ass?

  5. Re:A good public debate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thank you for your comment. It has been analyzed and approved by the NSA and the CIA. A copy of your comment (and your voting record) will be kept on backup indefinately at our Langley VA storage facility.

  6. Re:Is it so urgent? by Himring · · Score: 2, Funny

    I could see a use for a "space truck"

    The Space Shuttles are more like "space tubes."

    --
    "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
  7. Re:The solution. by east+coast · · Score: 4, Funny

    We'z gonna fix yo bucket! What we haz right here is a crack in da tile instead of crack in da vile.

    Word! Pass dat pipe, homie.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  8. Re:Err on the side of caution...don't you think? by pragma_x · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think the Slashdot crowd would make for interesting space program management.

    Poll: Preferred Shuttle Heat-Shield Repair Technology
    • NASA developed tile repair goo
    • Spare heat-shield tiles
    • Switch to ablative shielding instead
    • Inanimate carbon rod
    • Modulated tachyon pulse
    • Whatever Cowboy Neil had for lunch
  9. pfft... by VMaN · · Score: 2, Funny

    That'll buff right out.....

  10. Columbia: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "I've had worse"

  11. Re:Roland by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Maybe they can patch it with Roland. His sacrifice will be noted. But the purpose of the tiles is to keep hot air out of the shuttle.
  12. Re:How long has this been happening? by DreamCoder · · Score: 3, Funny

    References? Oh wait, this isn't wikipedia...

  13. solve the old fashioned way with a snowball fight by viking80 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Lets solve this the old fashioned way with a snowball fight. Everyone on the 'foam is the cause' over to the left tile castle, and start throwing the foam balls. Everyone on the 'ice is the cause' over to the right tile castle, and start throwing the snow balls.

    --
    don't cut it off www.mgmbill.org
  14. Re:Is it so urgent? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Funny

    I could see a use for a "space truck" the size of Endeavour, even after the shuttle program does out the door.

    Oh sure, but you know how it is. As soon as your buddies find out you have a space truck they'll want you to help move their space sofas into their new space condo.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are