SpaceX Tuesday...

[Eric Mc]

Thanks. Watching.

[Eric Mc]

That deployment control panel looks reassuringly low tech

[MartG]

It does indeed. Reminds me of an experiment on a Gemini flight mentioned in Mike Collins biography - it was testing the response of a frog to free fall. The control panel had one switch - FROG ON/FROG OFF

Sadly it seems something has gone wrong already

[Eric Mc]

Oops.

Time to do a Skylab style EVA with sod off (technical term) cable cutters perhaps.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

Oops.

Time to do a Skylab style EVA with sod off (technical term) cable cutters perhaps.

Yup - sometimes I think they make these things over-complex just because they can

[Eric Mc]

Seems they did work after all and the restraint straps are cut.

Lets see what happens next.

[Eric Mc]

I would be a bit wary hanging around that hatch with pressure building up on the other side. I keep thinking of the scene from "Interstellar".

[MartG]

Doesn't seem to be actually expanding much - is it stuck ?

[Eric Mc]

They've halted the process for the moment as the inflation seems to be not quite going as predicted. There are frangible joints in the module which snap when the expansion gets to a certain point. From what they are saying, my guess is that one of those joints has snapped (as planned) but the corresponding one on the other side hasn't - so now the inflation is "off centre" slightly.

They are also reporting that the pressure in the module is a bit on the high side. They wouldn't want to keep pumping it up to have it go bang.

[Eric Mc]

Tim P getting a bit bolshy with his controller

[MartG]

Reckon it's going to suddenly pop out to where it's supposed to be when whatever is holding it back gives way ?

[MartG]

Given up for today

[Eric Mc]

I think they are very aware that they possibly pumping up a bomb on the outside of the station.

My hunch is that, despite initial reassurances, those restraint straps have not been properly or completely severed.

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

My hunch is that, despite initial reassurances, those restraint straps have not been properly or completely severed.

That's my thought too. Hope they can figure out a way to fix them

Either that or their pressure meter is reading incorrectly - why they don't have a simple mechanical pressure gauge on the hatch is beyond me

Edited by MartG on Thursday 26th May 13:42

[Beati Dogu]

MartG said:

Reckon it's going to suddenly pop out to where it's supposed to be when whatever is holding it back gives way ?

Oo..errr Mrs.

Sorry, I just can't hear reference to the Bigelow Module without thinking of this:

[Eric Mc]

Or for those of us who know our musicals -

[MartG]

Weather for tonight's launch reported as 90% favourable

Live streaming ( technical channel ) will be here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPYOtCFSLKw hosted webcast here http://www.spacex.com/webcast

[Beati Dogu]

Spectrum is green on an immediate launch.

[Eric Mc]

I'm looking at the channel but not seeing any broadcast yet.

[RobDickinson]

Eric Mc said:

I'm looking at the channel but not seeing any broadcast yet.

Its on, click one of the feeds on the right