News Decommissioning of Discovery (OV-103)

[agentgonzo]

Decommissioning has started. Forward RCS module has been removed:

 

[Mojave]

Bye Discovery

 

[kevin580]

 

[dougkeenan]

She brought every crew home.

 

[jinglesassy]

Discovery has done her part for humanity. It is time to let her rest.

 

[Mojave]

She will always be remembered for her service in building the ISS. Thank you
Discovery, you were a great spacecraft.

 

[Capt_hensley]

Thanks Big D, Anybody know where shes going?

 

[Moach]

what are they planning to do with the RCS thingies?

i thought the craft was going for the smithsonian... are they gonna hollow it out and put only the shell on display?

 

[jinglesassy]

No moach, They are going to take out any hazardous materials like the RCS which could have residual hydrazine and be toxic to viewers.

 

[kevin580]

The TV News said, that Discovery comes into a museum, but what's now?

 

[Rtyh-12]

Good luck in paradise, Discovery. I hope you will bring the guys there on a nice ride, just as you did here on Earth.

Also, I second the questions the people above me asked.

 

[Moach]

No moach, They are going to take out any hazardous materials like the RCS which could have residual hydrazine and be toxic to viewers.

sounds like a good plan :thumbup:


godspeed Discovery! - may the probe be with you!

 

[DaveS]

The FRCS Module is currently at the KSC Hypergolic Maintenance Facility (HMF) being deserviced and safed for a trip to White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) where all the hypergolic lines, tanks and thrusters will be removed. Once the work at WSTF is complete, the FRCS module will be transported back to KSC and it will be reinstalled on Discovery.

The same work awaits the two Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pods which will be removed from Discovery in the coming weeks.

 

[T.Neo]

Oh god, that picture is horrible. They're cutting her up, they're cutting her up!

Ok, not exactly. But still not very nice to see...

 

[Ghostrider]

Oh god, that picture is horrible. They're cutting her up, they're cutting her up!

Ok, not exactly. But still not very nice to see...

Think of it as cosmetic surgery.
I've heard they're cleaning up the RCS and then putting the system back into place. Does that mean we have to bring our own hydrazine?

 

[T.Neo]

Think of it as cosmetic surgery.

No no no! That makes it worse! :blink:

The... Dr. 90210 flashbacks! The cutting! The stuffing! The sewing!

:suicide:

 

[Moach]

Oh god, that picture is horrible. They're cutting her up, they're cutting her up!

Ok, not exactly. But still not very nice to see...

i thought they took it somewhat apart and pieced it back together pretty much before every mission :hmm:...

this should not be unfamiliar to her, one would think...

they'e gonna put it back together... and we non-NASA folks will be able to go pay it a visit whenever we're at insert-museum-where-its-going-here

 

[T.Neo]

i thought they took it somewhat apart and pieced it back together pretty much before every mission ...

Yeah, but... big difference here:

There is no next mission.

they'e gonna put it back together... and we non-NASA folks will be able to go pay it a visit whenever we're at insert-museum-where-its-going-here

I guess this'll have to be my next life goal, better get to work getting the cash to buy a plane ticket...

 

[Mantis]

I saw a clip on NASA TV where they were interviewing the guy in charge of the decomissioning. He basically said as others above have said - anything hazardous will be removed along with anything useful such as the OMS engines. Apparently the forward RCS along with the OMS pods will be replaced with mockups. It will be displayed with real SSMEs. The current main engines will be removed and preserved for possible future applications and older model SSMEs will be installed in their place. They are also apparently going deep into the structure and cutting out certain pieces for engineering study to look into the effects of multiple space flights. In particluar they mentioned the actuators for the body flap and the other control surfaces. The control surfaces will be rigged up to be held in position through some mechanical means. They'll be doing this to all of the orbiters and sadly, none of them will ever be able to be re-commissioned and flown again.

 

[T.Neo]

They'll be doing this to all of the orbiters and sadly, none of them will ever be able to be re-commissioned and flown again.

Well, that would never happen, of course... but that does mean that they're cutting her up, essentially... how sad...

I wonder what they plan to do with the 'useful' OMS engines... fly them on Delta-Ks just so they can burn up in the Pacific or end up in orbit as Kessler syndrome generators?