What could they do,what are their options this time?

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I still await the compelling Exhibit A.

First option: Use the repair kit and repair the damage.
Second option: Just come back if there is no serious damage
Third option: stay docked wiith the ISS and wait for a second shuttle to pick them up.

Any more options?

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I remember reading something a while back about the possibility of taking refuge in the ISS. One question I have is, I think that the ISS has only one docking module, so they couldn't have two shuttles at once. What would they do with the Discovery if another shuttle comes to get them? I think it would be dangerous to "ditch" it, because it has a heat shield, after all, and what would happen if it survived reentry? Or would it be possible to try to bring it back on autopilot?

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As above, so below

it did-

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttl.../050726images/

main nose gear aft leading edge

probably one of the worst places to take a hit, (well not actually a 'hit'- it cracked and fell off from stress)

What do you mean by "aft leading" edge? If it's "aft" then it's trailing not leading, which in this case is a better thing re heat effects.

The spaceflightnow.com note on the NASA photo says "aft edge of right nose gear door".

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oops...I stand corrected

The difference this time is that (a) we know about the damage, and (b) it's possible to do something about it, if that's deemed necessary.

Let's not forget that other shuttle missions have sustained minor damage and reentered successfully, so this may be a similar case. NASA may decide to attempt a repair as a test of the new techniques, I guess, but they'll have to make a risk/benefit analysis first. The risk of causing further damage may outweigh the benefit of any repair they could make.

I think it would get crowded on ISS if the were to take refuge,what about food and water,thats what they were going there for in the first place,with supplies,right?

And with only one docking module on ISS,then what?

The thought of another "Colombia" scares the sh** out of me!

Would NASA ever recover.?

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I still await the compelling Exhibit A.

They also had a birdstrike:
They'll have a betterr idea once they scan the shuttle with thier boom....

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441!!!! :)

- They would have food, water and oxygene for just a couple of weeks.
- drop the other orbiter, i guess
- me too
- NASA yes, the shuttle program maybe

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Wait, how could a birdstrike on the underside of the external fuel tank, which they've long since ditched as planned, have any sort of relevance in terms of the "health" of the shuttle? (This is aimed more at Spaceflightnow's reporting then at darkhunter's comment.)

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They could ask the Russians for some Progress launches to keep the ISS supplied, Griffin might quietly order a rush job for Atlantis, Aldrin always spoken of using ISS as a safe zone, they could tell the Europeans to do an early launch of their ESA-ATV supply ship, they could do tests on the ground and see if the inspectiosn work out and stick half-broken tiles so could astronauts remove half broken tiles on orbit, perhaps they can fix little tiles like that ? ISS will provide opportunities for better visual inspections if there's more trouble maybe they could ask Russia to send them home on a Soyuz flight ? A second Shuttle ready on the pad would be a good help.

ISS has been resupplied since Columbia without the shuttle, because there's more than one docking module - at least three in total are usable.

There's only one shuttle docking module, but Progress M-54 is due on 24 August, and it can dock with either of the other two (though one is taken up by a Soyuz right now [1]). Since your average Progress carries, not just food and water, but replacement machinery, even luxury items, I don't think there's much call for alarm in the short-term, just ditch the unnecessaries and bulk up with the staple goods.

In the slightly longer term, yes, there would be the question of getting the 'stowaways' home, which would either mean relying on one of the last surviving two of a somewhat unreliable vessel (after the fact, that is, but not too great before this scenario arose, in my opinion), or punting dollars on three (!) extra Soyuz (that's a crew of 7, remember). Both weird options, but there is no third alternative, unless the Chinese might want to help out with Shenzhou-6 later this year.

But since, in fact, it's unlikely that Russia can lob up extra Soyuzes that quickly, the US would have to budget for extra Progress resupply too, for the increased crew on ISS. Maybe five extra R-7 type launches in all... Nah, that one's got to be out. Supplies are not a problem, but getting people home is, it needs a second shuttle.

[1] A sub-plot is to use the existing Soyuz to return the existing crew to return home, reducing pressure on the general ISS environment, which even in more optimistic days was only meant to take a crew of 7. Flaw is that this leaves no 'Assured Crew Return Vehicle' of any sort - but with 10 people and a busted shuttle, there wouldn't be a full-crew ACRV anyway. I think you'd have to do this.

NASA maybe would, the shuttle wouldn't - but I don't happen to think that the shuttle ever recovered from Columbia in the first place, it's just the only manned spacecraft the US has got right now.

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Fin
Skep-ti-cult® member #488-28303-790

Thanks everyone for your information,lets hope things goes smoothly,
and Grand Vizier thx again.

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I still await the compelling Exhibit A.

What about the poor bird [-X

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Moderations in purple

Fame, glory adventure, a cyber warrior craves not these things.

check out NASA tv...they've started the survey....lot's of neat pictures live

Is there a link?

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I still await the compelling Exhibit A.

What, do you want to get another case going like Dave Winfield and the seagull?

Back to your Cream of Chicken soup, boy! [-X [-X [-X

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I'm sure someone'll get it some extra-strength ibuprophen just as soon as the pad crew can scrape it off the landscape and vaccuum up the feathers.

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