STS-133 Space Shuttle Discovery Last Launch

[jonnyreverb]

Now America has to thumb a ride into space from Russia on a piece of their failed lunar mission, Soyuz...

Thanks for letting our last great achievement slide into the toilet, baby boomers.

[Headyjango92]

On that Mission, there was a Photo of me :D:D:D:D

[aimhigh59]

@jonalululy The thrust on a solid is controlled by how the fuel is shaped internally. Round, star shaped etc.

[ti994apc]

Thank God it did not blow up this time! Shuttle is by fare the world mosts DANGEROUS rocket EVER created for people to fly in!

[usnsquirrel]

@ti994apc No, it's about as safe (or dangerous) as the Soyuz rocket. There's a 2% loss of spacecraft with both.

[ti994apc]

@usnsquirrel Soyuz loses were in the late 60's, early 70's and it was a completely different rocket then. Both loses had to do with the parachute and a pressure valve system. Soyuz never actually blew up or disintegrated on launch or re-entry. Soyuz has a liquid fuel system that can be turned off. Soyuz has a crew escape system. Shuttle has no escape system, nor can it turn off its engines once started. The safest rocket in the world is Spacex's Falcon9 rocket.

[usnsquirrel]

@ti994apc Falcon 9 has only flown twice. Of course it's "safer" (or at least I'd hope so!). There have been no losses in two flights! And if it did get destroyed on the next flight, it has a failure rate of over 33%. You can't claim a rocket safer without proven experience. It doesn't work like that. There's no baseline flight rationale. When they can do 10 or more launches without a failure, that's barely even a minimum baseline.

[ti994apc]

@usnsquirrel Here is my reasoning. Falcon9 has 9 liquid fueled engines and (should any problem arise) up to 3 can be turned off during mid flight and it will not affect it reaching LEO. The Dragon escape system will be the only escape system created that can be used at any time of flight. Most escape system are ejected around the time the 1st stage is released. Last the heat shield used on Dragon is the highest rated ever used on a manned rocket (higher than Constellation/Orion).

[aimhigh59]

@ti994apc The orbiter engines can be shut down anytime by the crew. The boosters cannot but can be jettisoned at anytime. The shuttles are as safe as any rocket in the world. Their 99% reliable like any rocket. The orbiter has not failed at all. The bad SRB joint design caused the failure of the SRB. The bad tank (foam) design has caused the other accident. Two of Spacex's rockets failed at the beginning. If there were people onboard, they would not have made it to where they were going.

[ti994apc]

@aimhigh59 Shuttle is the most dangerous rocket ever to carry people. There is NO "zero" escape system so its not even as safe as a 1st gen Mercury Redstone. There is no procedure for emergency release of the SRBs. If you even attempted and SRB jettison what it full throttle, one fraction of a second difference would be a total loss of Shuttle. The human part of Shuttle is directly inline with the main fuel tank. Thus, no escape system would even have a chance at working.

[aimhigh59]

@ti994apc They can escape in level flight after a lot of things have to happen correctly. So to say there is no escape is incorrect. There is a procedure for manual release of the SRB's with a switch in the cockpit to do it. Also a switch for release of the tank. The question is when or if to use it.

[ti994apc]

@aimhigh59 Non-axisymmetric shapes (like Shuttle) present significant danger vs Sphere-cone (like a capsule) in atmospheric reentry. This is an issue with winged shaped craft have to deal with much higher temperatures. Solid fueled rockets have disadvantages. Casting large solid fuel rocket motors has proved to be a tricky. Defects in grain can cause explosions during the burn, & these explosions can increase the burning propellant surface enough to cause runaway pressure, until failure.

[aimhigh59]

@ti994apc All of your statements are correct. In fact, the SRB's have been the most reliable solids ever built with 265 launched with no issue's. Again the inherent design was flawed but the system works pretty damm well with what they were dealt 30 years ago.A 99% reliable machine just like any other rocket.

[ti994apc]

They should fuel the shuttle with $100 dollar bills. Since the shuttle cost 1.6 billion a launch it would be cheaper to fuel it $100 dollar bills.

[CamelBallZee]

Imagine yourself standing below the thrusters at launch.

[timd941]

@CamelBallZee you'd get killed standing under it. That's why you have to be at least 3 miles from it because it also shoots out the debris.

[CamelBallZee]

@timd941 Yeah. Take that, Black Ops fanboys.

I wonder how long it takes for all the smoke and dust to clear..

[jfcc9086]

The like button is on the left not on the right. Two more. And it's the end of the biggest show on the earth. Capsules will never beat that as pure God Speed. End of an era.

[fruchttragend]

I still can believe that this shuttle design have more than 30+ years old...

[JARHEAD3466]

@BlueIsa7 from what i heard they are just transfering all the program employees to russia and china

[rrose2009]

I was there-my first one. Way better in person. Going back in April.

[xhker]

Thank You Discovery

[jlh6310]

They'll be back one day!

[kamwrites]

Fourteen thousand miles per hour. HOLY @#$!!

[DDYKS]

Some piece/paint? fell off from the external tank?

[DDYKS]

4:43 ???

[Esudao]

it's amazing humans could put such machines into space at a fairly low failure rate. a shame many americans think there is no more money for that and the current government doesn't put much effort into revamping a new program.

[chronofish]

8:17 - Looks like plasma begins to glow - I know that happens on re-entry - but on the way to space?

8:45 - What are the flames at the top of the picture from?

[XxLAx2th3MaxXx]

soooo..... which one will they use next??

[MooCowMama]

@XxLAx2th3MaxXx Next launch is Endeavour in April, and then the final mission is Atlantis in June.

[elchapoyo1]

thank you nasa thank you space shuttle

[chronofish]

RE 4:43 - You can see where the foam dislodged from the fuel tank - it leaves a gaping hole (white) on the EFT just under the front attachment. Play in slow-mo and you can see it literally "explode" and hit the orbiter before tumbling towards the back.  When I watched on the live broadcast my heart sank.

[SovietUnity]

Discovery, you will missed ! :'(

1984 - 2011

[plehboy]

Thanks for uploading, NASA rules :)

[MSWindows30]

OMG! This is the final flight of Space Shuttle Discovery! I will missed this shuttle. After this mission, there are two more flights left. One from Endeavour and one from Atlantis. I think that millions and billions of people will see Space Shuttle Atlantis last flight and the Space Shuttle Program final mission before the shuttle retires.

[Kevinski1997]

@MSWindows30 Absolutly. I will miss Discovery specialy. Why did Obama decide to retire the space shuttle?

[aimhigh59]

@Kevinski1997 He didnt, Bush cancelled the program. Obama cancelled the follow on Ares program.

[MSWindows30]

@Kevinski1997, aimhigh59 is correct. Obama didn't retire the space shuttle. Bush cancelled the Space Shuttle Program. Obama cancelled the Constellation Program. The pros of retiring the space shuttle is that it'd dangerous, desperate all the improvements, the shuttle is dangerous. The cons is that the shuttle was design to fly 100 missions and Discovery flew nearly 40 flights. If Columbia wasn't destroyed, it would've flew on one ISS mission planned for Nov 2003.

[Kevinski1997]

@MSWindows30 Oh, sorry. But it is not the best solution. Because theres no program after the Space-Shuttle program. I can understand when the USA has no money to pay Lockheed-Martin for Ares-I and V-rockets, but I can't imagine spaceflight without the USA. Europe need plenty of time to develope their Ariane 5 to rockets for human-transportation and Russias "Sojus" could never transport as much men and cargo as the Space-Shuttle or Ariane.

[Kevinski1997]

@MSWindows30 Oh, I'm sorry about that! Thought it was Obama. But it is not the best solution. Because theres no program after the Space-Shuttle program. I can understand when the USA has no money to pay Lockheed-Martin for Ares-I and V-rockets, but I can't imagine spaceflight without the USA. Europe need plenty of time to develope their Ariane 5 to rockets for human-transportation and Russias "Sojus" could never transport as much men and cargo as the Space-Shuttle or Ariane.

[MSWindows30]

@doctorwho295, foam strikes happened on every mission.

[edwinshap1]

i hate that i missed this. i was in college :'(

[hderhty]

What the fuck? 4:43

[JesusWasASuperSaiyan]

can not stand these Nasholes. 

[vince29456]

What the hell was that debris hitting the orbiter at 4:43?

[Starbuckin]

@vince29456 I saw it too, and am worried. They'd BETTER be checkin' into this!!! The Discovery is my favorite Bird!!!

[rrose2009]

@vince29456 The news reported it was an 8x10 piece of tile from external tank.

[MSWindows30]

@vince29456 , a similar debris that hit Columbia's left wing in 2003. That is how space shuttle Columbia was destroyed in reentry. The debris was actually large as a briefcase.

[TarrVlogs]

@vince29456 That was something that was inspected, and approved by NASA. It was a piece of foam that flew off the tank, it did not hit hard enough to damage the tiles though.

[ScottieBoy2K8]

@TarrVlogs Thats what happened to colubia did it not, but the foam was big enough to rupture one of the wing panels or something?

[TarrVlogs]

@ScottieBoy2K8 Yes, when the foam flew off of the tank during the Columbia launch, it was bigger and did damage to one of the tiles.

[Raynor1337]

@armyveteran101st

It's a real shame the constellation program got cancelled :(. The fact that the NASA budget is about equal to that of a single carrier battlegroup is a very sad thing imho...

we can still hope though I guess, perhaps the space race will be given new life at some point.

[metsapeikkoo]

@Raynor1337

Even though I am a military-person, I do find it quite bloody sad that NASA budget is way way way way less than the military budget. It is a messed up world we're living in.

I definitely want to see a shuttle launch live within my lifetime.

[Raynor1337]

on the live stream now they said it's of no concern, the foam fell off outside the danger-moments.

[Raynor1337]

I put pictures of the debris impact and same spot in different moments of lighting side-by-side.. there is no visible damage whatsoever.

It impacts on the shuttle just in front of the V shaped bars that connect to the shuttle to the external tank. There's no visible dents.

[unionjackstar]

@qetuo13577 yes, you`re right! Damn! Let´s hope the heat shield check will be ok.

[armyveteran101st]

I just realized that I'm really going to miss these launches when the Space Shuttle program closes for good. I remember watching the very first space shuttle launch on TV back in 1981 when I was 13 years old, and I can't believe that 30 years later I'm sitting here watching one of the last ones. Back then I thought we'd be riding flying cars and going to Mars by now! I do hope NASA has something bigger and better in store, but given the economic reality we face today, who knows.... {;-(

[01Burner]

Its something from the external tank. You can see a white square spot on the tank. Lets wait and see what the heatshield check comes with.

[unionjackstar]

At that height and at that coldness, foam will be like concrete, i think! Hopefully nohting is damaged, but it would be fine to get some official news from the KSC

[goldeneyesoldier]

R.I.P Nasa.Good times.

[JediPug1]

Gorgeous launch! God be with you guys!!

[Raynor1337]

4:43 is material from the external tank (foam?) briefly hitting the shuttle, dunno if anything is damaged.

[dimlaws]

Godspeed 4:43 Awesome NASA

[hervy0]

Epic!

[smm3m]

Awesome!

[unionjackstar]

PLEASE, PLEASE have a closer look at 4:43 minute! What the hack is falling down from the shuttle?? is that something from the heat shield? Or from the external tank????

[TheErcoupe]

@unionjackstar i know i kinda wondering the same thing

[Sunshrine2]

@unionjackstar ET

[qetuo13577]

@unionjackstar I think that was a piece of foam that detached from the external tank. I hope it's nothing serious.

[megsmom1971]

I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED IT D:< D:< D:<

[earthling19]

Sweet footage, thanks for posting this!

[extand84]

obama is mean he was the one who wanted this last lunch to be the last lunch =( and it will be a long time until the next lunch =(

[GlobalAtomics]

4:42 is the debris

[SchaniDK]

@GlobalAtomics foam separating from the tank, hitting the shuttle. Light conditions make it hard to see if any damage was done to the thermal shielding. 6:43 is the roll where you get a rapid change in light direction, might reveal any surface damage?

[pcgailc]

Great Job Ron, yours was the first one up on Youtube! nice work!

[av8orguy]

4:43?



[tombillbob]

thanks for putting this up :D