Unidentified object seen behind space shuttle: NASA

[DogPoundPup]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery spotted an unidentified object floating behind the craft, as well as a bump on the shuttle rudder, the US space agency said Friday.

"After completing a standard day-before-landing test of the shuttle steering jets, the crew indicated they had seen a one-foot- to 1.5-foot-long rectangular object floating away from the shuttle from behind the rear portion of the right wing," NASA said in a statement a day before the shuttle's scheduled landing.

"Shortly afterwards, the crew described what they called a 'bump' on the left side trailing edge of Discovery's rudder.

"Experts on the ground are examining images and video of the object and the 'bump' while the crew continues to stow items in the cabin for Saturday's planned landing," it said.

NOTE: This is the complete story posted at Yahoo. You need not go to link.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080613/ts_afp/usspaceshuttleobject

[undeterred]

1. They got the toilet problem fixed, right?

[Canuckistanian]

44. NASA Plumbing Service

"Call us when your business ISN'T going down the drain!"

[JDPriestly]

2. Did part of the shuttle break off when no one was looking?

Or are we making new friends out there somewhere?

Star Trek here we come. Shall I go get my Star Trek uniform?

[eowyn_of_rohan]

3. Al Gore's lock box?

Wondered what happened to that...

[smiley_glad_hands]

19. It got whisked away by haliburton. eom

[eowyn_of_rohan]

24. and they shot it into space in hopes we would forget about it?

[MNDemNY]

4. Identified as a "metal clip" No danger to crew.

[SoFlaJet]

5. They ARE here already

and I'm afraid their intents aren't too friendly my fellow humans...

[CreekDog]

6. i know what it was

[Sequoia]

11. I think it was this:

[Lautremont]

13. Yes - the old fishman himself, John McCain, knocking on the window.

[Sequoia]

33. I just discovered you can watch Twilight Zone on Google..the whole show!

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

[MaineDem]

7. NASA says lost object from shuttle no threat to entry

Engineers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston believe a flashing bit of debris spotted floating away from the shuttle Discovery this morning was a clip used to secure thermal insulation in the ship's rudder/speed brake to protect against engine heat during ascent. Flight controllers told the astronauts the lost clip poses no threat to a safe re-entry.

As for an apparent bump, or protrusion, spotted on the shuttle's vertical rudder/speed brake, engineers concluded it looked that way before launch and was not considered a problem, welcome news on an already busy Friday the 13th.

"As you know, we've been talking about this down here and we're confident this is going to be no impact to entry," said astronaut Terry Virts in mission control. "I'll talk about the two different objects we saw separately. First of all, the bump that you saw on the rudder/speed brake we think is nominal. We compared it with pre-flight imagery and it looks exactly like it did pre flight. I think the reason you could see it was because the rudder was kind of angled to the left after the FCS (flight control system) checkout a little bit. But there's no issue with that.

"The other object that floated away, turns out was a trailing edge split-line barrier. Thanks to the pictures you took the resolution was very good, we were able to confirm it was that. That trailing edge split-line barrier, it looks like a (V-shaped) clip, its function is for ascent heating only. This is something we've seen ever since STS-1, orbiters have come back with those missing. It's just not a factor for entry."

Commander Mark Kelly told CBS News a few minutes later during an already scheduled interview that he had no concerns.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts124/080613fd14/index4.html

[Xenotime]

16. They "said" there was no problem with the Columbia either.

[BootinUp]

22. It always concerns me when they dismiss these things so quickly. nt

[seriousstan]

30. They didn't dismiss anything. They studied the high res photos and determined what things were.

These people are professionals that inspect and examine evidence and make decisions. They are not the kind to sit and wring their hands out of concern. The think rather than feel.

[Kingofalldems]

41. Thanks Mr. Superior

Your post reads like something Rush Limbaugh would say.

[seriousstan]

43. If you are going to follow me around, kiss my ass while your behind me.

[Kingofalldems]

46. Clicked on the thread--there you were

As long as you insult people here I will respond. Don't like it? TS

[seriousstan]

48. With tongue and reach around...thank you.

[SpiralHawk]

40. "Especially when Mercury is Retrograde." - Ronald Reagan's Dead Republicon Astrologer

[FogerRox]

38. After Columbia we take way more pictures & video. Makes a difference, ya know.

[fortyfeetunder]

39. I only hope this was negligible effect on the shuttle.

Reading things like this ensure I will probably not watch re-entry this time...

[baldguy]

45. But it shouldn't have peices falling off, right?

Whenever my Pinto hit a pothole, some of the dangly bits fall off & got left behind.

[Hugabear]

8. It's Ron Paul's mothership

You just knew that guy wasn't one of us, didn't you?

[MsKandice01]

9. Space junk??

Couldn't it just be some of our trash that we've left floating up there?

[Duer 157099]

17. That's what I was thinking

Soon they won't be able to venture out because of the risk of space junk collisions.

You'd think they would have thought of this before they started leaving their discarded trash everywhere - like they haven't yet learned the lesson from using our oceans as a big dumping ground. Oh wait, they haven't.

[DS1]

10. Again?

[screembloodymurder]

12. No worry, mate.

It's just a bolt holding the rudder in place.

[YOY]

23. Well if that's it then they should have heard it as well...

For some odd reason they make noises in space.



A really cool noise...in a vacuum.

[arcadian]

14. rectangular object floating away?

[BrklynLib at work]

18. Oh yes, I remember that...

[lovuian]

36. more like a circular one

[Xenotime]

15. This CAN'T be good. I fear we might have another Columbia incident.

This administration just needs to shut down the space program before more people die.

[Indenturedebtor]

20. Progress is always fraught with risks

The Astronauts are happy to take them to advance the cause of all Mankind.

[FiveGoodMen]

21. Did they authorize you to speak for them? Or are you quoting one of them?

They're obviously willing to take necessary risks, I doubt that they're happy about it.

[Indenturedebtor]

25. I'm sure they're not happy about it and I'm not arguing against increased safety

But it's hardly as though they're unaware of the risks. Do I really need to dig up quotes? Have you ever watched an interview with an Astronaut?

Hell I would be happy to take the risk if they'd let me on board!

[FogerRox]

37. They know the risks and decide to go ahead and do the job anyway

I wanted to be a mission specialist in the early '80's. The Challenger blew up on my birthday.

[ohio2007]

32. the opposite of progress is --- >congress

scrapping the shuttle program can't happen fast enough for NASA

[Indenturedebtor]

34. They need a replacement first though no? n/t

[wtmusic]

26. Another Ron Paul yard sign nt

[1Hippiechick]

47. LOL

[ozone_man]

27. Do they still use ceramic tiles?

Like Columbia? Or did they change the design?

[L0oniX]

28. I've told you and warned you all that Martians were here and on DU.

:evilgrin:

[LanternWaste]

29. It may be a spurious correlation, but just to be on the safe side

My neighbor's daughter received her drivers license the day previous to this incident. It may be a spurious correlation, but just to be on the safe side, I'd thought I'd let you all know she drives an unidentified 1.5 foot long rectangular object (which only this morning had a mysterious dent in it shaped just like a shuttle rudder...)

I know, I know... I'm leaving soon.

[ohio2007]

31. it was a hinge attached to the rudder's heat sheild that protects it during launch

or was it Marvin returnig scrap to earth salvaged from mars

[lovuian]

35. Maybe US Space program is getting a nudge from our

space friends...Tell them about us or your going to get bumped more and more

You will see more and more information coming out about Extraterrestials and UFOS

Its about TIME

The US is giving training videos to Firemen on how to handle crashes of UFOS
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jPxYaEeYqyg from abc news

[Baclava]

42. Pretty landing......all's well that ends well

Cool