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July 28, 2005
Shuttle Fleet Grounded Again
from Space.com:
HOUSTON -- NASA officials have grounded the agency's remaining space shuttles after the Discovery orbiter's external tank shed chunks of foam, including one piece more than 2 feet long.
The problem is similar to what occurred in the disastrous Columbia flight in 2003 and was thought to have been fixed.
Space shuttle officials said that while there is currently no indication the foam contacted the Discovery orbiter, the incident should not have happened in the first place and is reason enough to put a hold on future flights.
Images taken of the external tank in orbit identified the foam separation, and also detailed additional areas where the material pulled loose from its tank, they said.
"Until we've fixed this, we're not ready to fly," said Bill Parsons, NASA's space shuttle program manager, during a press briefing here at Johnson Space Center. "You could say that we're grounded."
The Discovery orbiter and its STS-114 crew launched into space Tuesday morning and are approaching the International Space Station (ISS), where they will dock early Monday.
It is NASA's first shuttle to fly since the loss of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003, which was fatally struck by falling foam debris during launch. The briefcase-sized foam chunk hit Columbia's left wing back then, gouging a hole in its heat shield that led to the orbiter's destruction -- and the deaths of all seven astronauts aboard -- during reentry on Feb. 1, 2003.
The foam shed during Discovery's Tuesday launch originated on a protuberance air load (PAL) ramp that juts out from the orange external tank and protects vital cables, wiring and pressure lines running along its length. Current estimates place it between 24 and 33 inches long at its longest point and up to 8 inches wide.
Posted by Chris at 06:42 AM
July 27, 2005
We Have LIFTOFF!
America is now back in space after a 2 1/2 year absence.
Posted by Chris at 08:33 AM
July 24, 2005
New Photo Albums Posted
I finally got around to getting my vacation photo albums posted on the website. They can be accessed from the Photo Albums section. Or direct Links to the individual albums:
Daytona Beach Florida - July 2005
Fairfeild Ocean Walk Resort - the resort I stayed at
Enjoy!
Posted by Chris at 10:51 PM
July 15, 2005
Hurricane Dennis link moved
I took the link at the top of the blog page for the hurricane Dennis and moved to the left sidebar menu under a new title "Archived Sites". I intend to keep it there for right now so I figured I would keep a link to it.
Posted by Chris at 12:01 PM
July 14, 2005
Speed Test from OceanWalk
I am down here in what I call "The Computer Lounge" (the only place on the resort that has free Wi-Fi---I am not paying for it at Starbucks when it is free somewhere else) and I wanted to test the internet speed and here is what I got. I don't think it is too bad considering how many machines they probably have connected to this line.
Posted by Chris at 06:39 AM
July 11, 2005
Made it to the Beach
I made it to the beach this evening. In fact, I am typing this post via the wireless internet connection at the place I am staying, Fairfield Ocean Walk Resort in Daytona Beach, FL. We had originally planned on going to Panama City Beach but since Hurricane Dennis decided to come ashore, that changed our plans. And even as of yesterday we still thought we could get down there. We made the final decision this morning to come down here. I tried to make reservations here yesterday but they were full. I called the resort while on the way down there and they had a room available and when we got here we tried to upgrade to a three-bedroom condo and they were 100% booked so we lucked out. There are not that many "nice and acceptable" condos down here in Daytona Beach. This is in fact the best one that I am seen thus far. Anyways I am going to get done here so I can do some more Internet sufing...
Posted by Chris at 09:41 PM
July 10, 2005
Dennis Page Moved
I hope everyone thought the information was useful for you during the landfall of Hurricane Dennis. I have left the page on the server for now, the link is at the top of the home page or use this link.
Posted by Chris at 09:34 PM
July 09, 2005
Must be bad for Wal-Mart to close
Look at this picture I captured from a local newscast. The Wal-Mart in Foley (about 10 miles inland in Baldwin County) was closed today. The reporter was shocked they were closed. Well, excuse me, the governor issued a MANDATORY EVACUATION.
Posted by Chris at 05:29 PM
July 08, 2005
Special Weather Statement for Inland Alabama
From ABC 33/40 E-Warn:
WWUS84 KBMX 081954
SPSBMX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
255 PM CDT FRI JUL 8 2005
ALZ011>015-017>050-091200-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
255 PM CDT FRI JUL 8 2005
...HURRICANE DENNIS EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT CENTRAL ALABAMA
SUNDAY AND MONDAY...
HURRICANE DENNIS IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE CENTRAL
GULF COAST SUNDAY NIGHT. DENNIS WILL LIKELY TRACK ACROSS WESTERN
ALABAMA OVERNIGHT SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS
OF RAIN AND HIGH WINDS.
A HIGH WIND OUTLOOK IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY NIGHT
AND MONDAY. WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK...DENNIS IS EXPECTED TO
BRING HIGH WINDS NEAR HURRICANE FORCE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND
TROPICAL STORM FORCE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20. WIND SPEEDS THIS HIGH
WILL DOWN TREES AND CAUSE NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES. ISOLATED TORNADOES
ARE ALSO LIKELY IN THE OUTER BANDS OF HURRICANE DENNIS.
WITH THE CURRENT TRACK...DENNIS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY AMOUNTS OF
RAINFALL ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. WITH ALREADY SATURATED GROUND IN
PLACE FROM CINDY...FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING WILL BE LIKELY.
RAIN BANDS FROM DENNIS WILL OVERSPREAD ALABAMA FROM THE SOUTH ON
SUNDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES
WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA FOR THE
DURATION OF DENNIS.
CENTRAL ALABAMIANS ARE URGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST HURRICANE
FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA THE INTERNET...NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS. POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM
HURRICANE DENNIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA IF THE
CURRENT FORECAST TRACK VERIFIES. PRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE
UNDERWAY AND EMERGENCY PLANS SHOULD BE READY FOR ACTION. WITH THE
CURRENT FORECAST TRACK AND STRENGTH...DENNIS COULD PRODUCE CONDITIONS
ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA VERY SIMILAR TO HURRICANE IVAN.
AS WITH ANY HURRICANE FORECAST TRACK...POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE
FORECAST TRACK...TIMING...AND INTENSITY OF HURRICANE DENNIS CAN BE
EXPECTED AS NEW DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE.
Posted by Chris at 10:29 PM
Hurricane Dennis Information
Hurricane Dennis Information
ABC 33/40 Tropics Page
National Hurricane Center Forecast/Track
Model Output
Key West, FL Radar
Tallahassee, FL Radar
Northwest Florida Radar
Mobile, AL Radar
UPDATE I have created a page with all the information and links you will need on Dennis. It is on the main page of the site or use this link.
Posted by Chris at 06:51 AM
July 07, 2005
My Eyes are on Dennis
I am keeping a very close eye on the progress and forecast of Hurricane Dennis. No, I have not moved to the beach (which would not mind doing if someone would like to give me about 400,000 to purchase a condo on the beach). I am suppose to be leaving Monday morning for a vacation to Panama City Beach. The way it looks right now, I think I will be okay in leaving as originially planned. I just hope it stays on it projected path and goes to the west and not curves back toward the Florida Panhandle. We will just have to wait and see.
Posted by Chris at 09:16 AM