Author
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Topic: Tellus Science Museum (GA): Columbia's nose
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-04-2014 07:54 PM
The Examiner reports that one of space shuttle Columbia's nose caps will go on display at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. The gray nose section was flown as a part of Columbia during eleven of her twenty-eight missions, and was removed only a few years before her ill-fated 2003 flight which saw the spacecraft break apart during atmospheric re-entry....the NASA Historical Artifacts Program donated Columbia's nose to Tellus, and the museum plans to have it on display in it's expanding space flight section beginning March 14.
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dabolton Member Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 03-05-2014 08:28 AM
Any idea why the nose cone was switched out mid-career? Did the other shuttles receive new nose cones as well? |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-05-2014 09:10 AM
The linked article notes the reason for the nose's installation and replacement: The specially flown nose was part of a NASA experiment known as Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS), and was based out of Langley Research Center. SEADS looked at the air pressure surrounding a space shuttle's nose section from an altitude of 300,000 feet through touchdown.Fourteen sensor holes in the reinforced carbon carbon coated nose cap lined up in a cross and recorded measurements of Columbia as she plunged through the earth's atmosphere. The NASA Langley experiment was activated minutes prior to the shuttle's deorbit burn. ...Columbia first flew with her scientific nose in January 1986 during mission STS-61C. Eleven flights later, it was used for the final time during STS-65 in July 1994. |
Joel Katzowitz Member Posts: 808 From: Marietta GA USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 03-05-2014 06:42 PM
OK Atlanta area spacegeeks, looks like it's time for a long overdue road trip. |
p51 Member Posts: 1642 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 03-05-2014 11:22 PM
Hmm. You'd think, given the later loss of the orbiter, that a more high profile museum would have gotten that. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-05-2014 11:36 PM
NASA can only choose from the museums that request a particular artifact through the GSA screening process. Decisions are based on the recipient's financial ability to cover transportation and handling fees, as well as display capability, among other criteria. |
Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 03-09-2014 08:44 AM
As a charter member of the "Atlanta Space Geeks" I'm ready for the road trip to Cartersville. |
OV-105 Member Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 03-09-2014 11:11 PM
Now the big question is, what happened to the nose cap that flew on Columbia for the first 6 flights? Did that one get put back on or held in spare? |
sprocketship Member Posts: 72 From: Registered: Feb 2014
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posted 03-12-2014 08:51 PM
Cool artifact to have in our backyard. Now if we can just get more astronauts to visit... |