Not so good news about flight 3407

[FlySacto]

Not true, Columbia was not equipped to dock at the station. It was the only shuttle not set up with a docking port. Nasa also declined the airforce's offer to view the shuttles belly form orbit with a high powered telescope which would have revealed the damage to the leading edge of the left wing. Columbia was not in the right orbit and did not have enough fuel to reach the station.

You are correct but I'd take an "educated guess" that the idea of burning fuel in an "asset" to photograph the shuttle was eventually discounted as being a moot point as there were NO other option but deorbit. There were no other fixes or band-aides they could have used. There are a few guys here who have known me since way back when I worked as a part time flight instructor during the day, and full time at night in a "class A" facility as a civilian contractor that steered X-band radar around the sky 24/7. What we might have known never did, or could have ever known, mattered in this situation.

 

[Captzaahlie]

Don't Let Walter Find Out You Are Discussing Things Off Topic!​

 

[WSurf]

Don't Let Walter Find Out You Are Discussing Things Off Topic!​

Not only that, I really don't wanna see him crying to the mods again.

 

[Crossky]

Didn't you get the spoiler caution msg, when the thrust levers were pushed up close to max?(I forget the TLA angle)
PBR

No, the thrust levers were never advanced enough to activate reach the microswitch which would give the spoilers CAS message. I maybe increased thrust a little, as I was still still to figure out what just happened, post shaker and pusher. The airplane was still flying, and we were basically in stable, flight, with a slight descent. Within 2-3 seconds the jumpseater said 'spoilers', the CA retracted them, and I had SA back, grumbling at myself inside.

It was visual conditions as I said, and we had ORD in sight. If I was IMC I would've reacted more urgently I suspect. We were about 6-8 mi out on GS so about 1800-2400 AGL.

CA wrote an irregularity report and we never heard a word from management.

Don't rat me out!