How Close Was That Lightning to the Shuttle?
Written by Nancy Atkinson
Lightning strikes close to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center on August 25, 2009. Credit: NASA, Ben Cooper. Click the image for access to a larger version.
If you're wondering why the first launch attempt for space shuttle Discovery was scrubbed early Tuesday morning, here's your answer. Yikes! But what a gorgeous picture! And of course, the second launch attempt early Wednesday morning was called off when instrumentation for an 8-inch fill and drain valve on the shuttle's external tank indicated the valve had failed to close. But yesterday, the valve functioned correctly five times during launch pad tests, NASA said.
UPDATE: Launch now is targeted for no earlier than 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, to allow engineers more time to develop plans for resolving the issue with the valve.
See below for a close-up of the lightning shot, to see how close it actually came to the shuttle.
Lightining strikes close to Discovery on the launchpad on Aug. 25, 2009. Credit: NASA/Ben Cooper. Click image for access to larger version.
Discovery's 13-day mission will deliver more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the International Space Station. The equipment includes a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. The mission is the 128th in the Space Shuttle Program, the 37th flight of Discovery and the 30th station assembly flight.
Hat Tip to absolutespacegrl on Twitter!
Filed under: Astronomy
Tags: lightning, Space Shuttle, weatherRelated stories on Universe Today
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August 27th, 2009 at 7:37 am
What a wonderful photograph (unless I was strapped in the Shuttle!). The lighting of the clouds over the launch pad adds a dramatic flair, as if Zeus was saying "not now, people".
August 27th, 2009 at 8:09 am
The picture doesn't show how far _behind_ the shuttle the lightning stroke. It could have been miles.
August 27th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Or is it "striked"?
August 27th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Just launch into the storm. Get hit twice, press SCE to AUX breaker to reset the electrical system and keep going!
Of course that was Apollo 12, less things to break…..
August 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Here's the wiki entry on the Apollo 12 lightning strike:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_12#Launch_and_transfer
Crazy
"the vehicle triggered a lightning discharge through itself and down to the earth through the Saturn's ionized plume."
August 28th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I think it was one of those scary but very exciting moments….
August 28th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
It should have striked the shuttle and put it out of its misery once and for all.
Humans,as they are now,should not be allowed to go to space and polute it as they have poluted the Earth.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
wiseguy: www facepalm com