STS-124 Shuttle Discovery Launch - External Tank Camera

[moustapha2112]

Pardon me, but at 9:03+, does the external tank move towards earth gradually? It looks like it is still moving away from Earth even after the shuttle uses thrusters to separate and maneuver? At 9:00 into recording? I thought the tank fell away shortly after the two boosters? I think they might as well leave that big, empty cargo container there? It takes millions of dollars to get there, right? Why does it have to "burn up", while the two boosters get deep water recovery?

[TheUnforgivingOne]

were you guys not watching the video? it does not burn up in the the sky it ejects 3 parachuets and lands in the ocean to be retrieved or sunk

[lolvks]

yea, remember... the external tank is jettisoned AFTER the shuttle reaches space

[okdudepoplol]

you know wat they should put a camera on the falling external tanks cuz i want to see an impcat of a external tank hitting tthe ground

[pilotwave]

the external tank doesn't hit the ground or the ocean. it burns up in the atmosphere.

[Randomnick123]

Search "STS-124 Launch w/ Sound"

You see external tanks falling off and dropping down in the ocean with chutes.

Those tanks doesent burn in the atmosphere.

[pilotwave]

the bodies falling in that video are the solid rocket boosters, not the external tank. the tank - which is make partly from foam - does burn up in the atmosphere. it is jettisoned after MECO. thanks for the link, though; i really enjoyed watching it. best.

[balkus1]

dude the external tank is massiveeee its not gonna burn up within 30 km, it woud take heaps of speed too