So good to get a look inside. Thank you for this amazing video. Please keep making more videos showing the inside of spacecraft… that we don’t usually get to see. What an incredible machine. NASA and the whole USA must be so proud. And thank you to the Smithsonian for displaying and caring for this marvellous piece of human history.
I was in LA in a plane when this thing stopped us to pass (in 2012 I think) and it was absolutely massive. Looked different than anything I’d ever seen. I had a left window seat and I got one of the best views. My blackberry camera was terrible though and I forgot to even snap a pic. Huge though.. and low to the ground. Totally through me off.
Very rarely do we get taken on a tour inside one of the most incredible machines ever built. Thank you for doing this. Would love if there were more like these!
WOW! thank you so much for that up-close display of the actual working parts! I tried to watch every launch from Charleston, SC from the beach and my computer. I miss those thrills! Go SpaceX!
Very cool. I got to see Discovery when it was brand new. When transporting it from the assembly plant to Florida they stopped at Vandenberg AFB and we drove down to see it. Quite a sight seeing it atop the 747.
I saw Discovery launch on STS-131 back in 2010, and I've always felt a connection to that particular orbiter. It's a special spacecraft, with a special place in my heart.
I was at the delivery to Dulles and it was a hell of a thing to see the orbiter arrive all burned up and do a flyby on the back of that 747. Really made you go, “oh my god, that’s a space ship.”
I was also at that launch, 6.5 months pregnant, but now I get to be her curator and I can't tell you how great it is to hear she's so special to so many of us!
I absolutely LOVED this introspective look at the Discovery Shuttle. I was MY shuttle in that it was my initiation into human space flight. I saw the Discovery land after the Challenger was lost and it set me off on a journey to love and follow the space program as a young enthusiast. Seeing the Shuttle Discovery on display in your amazing setup was like a coming home event and this is the icing on the cake! Thank you for this additive feature!
Dr. Levasseur, thank you for the tour, but how about a peek in the working end of Discovery? Aft of the 1307 bulkhead. I worked back there years ago and I think viewers would enjoy seeing the mechanicals.
@JKJ360, sadly, we can't share that material as it's still under ITAR (best to Google that before I mangle it's definition) restrictions. :( Having seen it, it's so amazing. I can say that we do not have most of the working parts of the SSMEs - they were removed prior to delivery for reuse in prep for the Artemis Program. So it's a bit empty in there, but we do still go in the aft compartment to check for hydraulic fluid leaks.
@@jklevasseurPlease just grasp the meaning of your job, you are one of only a few people that are allowed to take a step into this amazing machine and its the only space shuttle left horizontally. Sitting in the commanders chair must be a strange feeling, knowing that this machine will never fly again. Sad.
@tomkutscher1555 I'm not sure that you understand what ITAR means. As Dr Levasseur very kindly put it, this aircraft contains many sensitive (read: classified or export-restricted) components that even with their age, still can prove useful to any of the US's adversaries. It is like asking a pilot on the U-2, F-14, or any of the many other retired USAF jets that are still under ITAR to this day, to have a peek or photograph their camera/engine/FCS systems. No one would like to get a knock at the door by the feds, and it is ridiculous to get angry at someone for following the law. You'll find this attitude and regulations among many other countries - these aircraft are highly advanced, and have billions of dollars poured into their development. No one wants to be the one to give our adversaries a leg up - A guy who has had to deal with the many complexities of ITAR and export-restricted work
Simply an awesome video. It's nice to see that some of the bigger artifacts do get opened occasionly, ifonly for maintenance and cleaning purposes. I requested once to get an inside look of the Boeing Model 367-80 so I coudl film it and the cockpit for my little RUclips channel, butwas firmly brushed off, and told that the artifacts were never opened and that the Cessna 152 that is open to the public had a similar enough cockpit arrangement. Hopefuly you guys will do one of these for the Boeing Model 367-80, because there is no video anywhere, except maybe the Boeing Archives on what that plane looks like on the inside.
I'm heading over to the US later this year from Australia mainly to visit some Air and Space museums (and some random touristy crap too probably lol) , can't wait to see this in person!
You will have a great time! Thanks for visiting us. Id love to go to Australia. :) - you probably already know this, but make sure you visit the downtown main Air & Space Museum AND Udvar Hazy which is where Discover is. It’s pretty far from DC, but the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio is unreal.
@@lunarweasel Yep I know about the different museums in the DC area, also just about equally interested in seeing the Enola Gay there and the SR-71 as much as the shuttle at Udvar Hazy. Thanks for the suggestion of that air force museum too, after looking it up it seems awesome and I'll try to get there! Maybe an excuse to go in a bit inland and check out Chicago or something. I've always wanted to see some national parks over on the west side too but I think that will be left to another trip.
Always enjoyed watching the space shuttle takeoff and landings, but thank you to the Smithsonian for giving us a tour of the inside of the space shuttle it’s very interesting I miss our special launches and landings
I hope history remembers the space shuttle, not for the two lost crews, but for the amount of science and tech it advanced. Not to diminish the two lost crews at all, just that we learned volumes from and because of the shuttle program.
I've seen, Enterprise, Discovery and Atlantis... Discovery is by far the best display of the 3. Gives you the best up close and personal feeling. Only thing that would make it better would be to have lights on inside the flight deck.
The California Science Center is assembling a new display with Endeavour. They have received shipment of a set of SRBs and an external fuel tank and are finishing assembly so that Endeavour can be displayed with full stack in launch position.
@@davidkruse4030 To preserve the shuttle. Germs, bacteria, spit, no one wants to contaminate an artifact. Just like why historians wear masks when opening tombs or sarcophaguses. Also it's very commonplace when working around tech to mask and suit up to prevent any of the electronics from getting exposed to things. Not to mention for the benefit of those around her - like jamie said she isn't in space, someone has to hold that camera up :)
I am jealous, I would absolutely love to get inside a real orbiter. I saw Atlantis in Florida....Watching it on TV, you really dont get the scale of how really big these vehicles are.
So you have your own lights and fans, or bring in power to feed the Shuttle'S own fans and lights? I know it is hard to scale to a large number of visitors, but it would be sooo nice if we could take a peek inside ! @@jklevasseur
I noticed above the toilet there is a sign warning max capacity of 250 lbs. Why is there a weight limit if the toilet will mainly be used in orbit when weightless? Is there ever a situation the toilet might have been used when not in orbit? Or is the sign not for the toilet at all? If it is for the toilet, what sort of situation necessitated that sign? Not being gross or crass, truly just curious!
So that's not actually rust! It's discoloration of the kapton tape used. I asked that same question during our filming. The solar radiation actually discolored underlayers and a new tyep of kapton covering was put on, but it discolored anyway. I will tell you, it's also the moment I asked "what's that strange smell?" and our maintenence experts (former shuttle engineers) said "that's the smell of space!" Jaw dropping moment.
I’ve had the privilege to stand right next to her there. You don’t realize just how big they are until you see one in person. She’s a beautiful lady. Can you do an interior view of the Super Connie? I didn’t know you had one until I visited.
I was there, along with my late brother in law, the day Discovery was welcomed to Udvar Hazy. I had planned to return for the ten year anniversary, but John lost his life to Agent Orange in 2020. Take care of her...
@@jklevasseur Probably not. John and I were out in the crowd, and when we got to when they placed the two vehicles close and we could take photos I took a picture in black and white because it reminded me of the two locomotives that celebrated the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. It was a great day; the successful completion of my eight year adventure. It had its magic, though. A reporter for a newspaper asked me what my connection to the shuttle program was. After I told her the short version, someone in the assembled crowd said "thank you for your service". I was astounded, and said that I never flew. He thanked me again and the crowd began to applaud. I looked at John, and he just grinned. I was never in the service, but yet I had found a way to serve our country that didn't involve guns.
Should also have been the final orbiter to fly. NASA made a mistake not having Discovery fly the final shuttle mission in my opinion since she returned us to space after both disasters.
Great video! Thanx! There's another channel by a man named Jared Owen. He creates animations about how things work. He did one on the shuttle along with many other machines. Check him out sometime.
If we have learnt anything from the space program it is that we have absolutely no idea what we are doing or what will happen next. My parents live in Hennypenny Land and think man building on the moon will push it out of orbit sooner or later with all the earth tide implications associated with what will more than likely be a disaster for earth. What is in place to stop that from happening in the event of man actually building on the moon?
Thinking about how they burned up in there. So namby pamby for safety and they missed that? Oh well hope i did offend RUclips or they take this post down. Glad big authority is looking over us.
I hope you realize how privileged you are to be able to see the inside, it's something that will unlikely be ever opened for the public. Thank you for sharing this!
I worked at a tire recycling plant at Legal ,Alberta. One of the presses making the big rubber tiles came from NASA. There is a plaque on the big control unit showing the the year it was put in service. This press was originally used to make the tiles on the space shuttle.
The coolest part of living in LA is access to the Endeavor. They are mounting it upright with all three external tanks in launch position right now and building a new building around it as it is all mounted. If you are into space definitely Google California Science Center Space Shuttle- it's all happening literally right now. I take *everyone* that visits to the science center at USC. The remaining space shuttles are world wonders on par with the pyramids.
@@JoeBlow-bd1eg The giant orange liquid tank which has been basically laying in the backyard for the last decade, and the two white solid rocket motors on either side of it. Not technically tanks I guess but you know what I mean- the full launch assembly in its upright position. I am beyond stoked for it to be finished
I got to be there the night the orbiter was moved and it was pure joy and magic. So please for our friends at the California Science Center. The shuttle story over all the final locations of program equipment feels complete now.
The shuttle had certain degree of grime and charring on it when it arrived at Udvar Hazy. I was there to see it fly in and it was really striking how it’s definitely a machine that’s been to space quite a bit. They’re trying to preserve that west while also cleaning away accumulating dust from the museum. Also the payload bay was always kept in clean room conditions when the orbiter was in flight. That means booties, masks and other measures that minimize the impact of crawling around in there.
Interesting that you can get into the "driver's seat" without having to wear a "bunny suit", or protective clothing. The reason is to protect the shuttle controls from body oils, hair, skin cells, etc.
The space shuttle was a great achievement in spacecraft. It was powerful and reusable. The problem was that its use in space was much more stressful on the machinery than was thought.This resulted in much more parts replacement and many fewer flights. The thermal protection system was particularly fragile. I wonder if a strengthening of the tps could have been done even if it drastically reduced the payload, to allow the shuttle to fly longer. I think the name 'space shuttle' was a poor one, even if accurate. It was such a mundane name for such a sophisticated spacecraft. Spaceplane would have been better! A few opinions from Canada.
GOD MAKES YOU WISH YOU COULD TAKE THE TOUR YOURSELF INSIDE THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT STILL MISS THE OLD GIRL FLYING SPACE X IS AWESOME BUT IN MY POINT OF YOU NOTHING WILL REPLACE THE SHUTTLE!!!
It didn't. The original idea was that we would save on launch costs with the Space Shuttle because it was reusable. After the Challenger disaster, it became clear that the Shuttle was never going to be less expensive than unmanned rockets. However, certain satellites and payloads were still better suited for the space shuttle so it was still used in those particular cases. Check out the Astro-1 and Astro-2 missions. Absolutely amazing and impossible to do with anything but the Space Shuttle.
The engines are replicas as the real RS25 engines were far too valuable to be left in a museum as they're still current kit and used on such projects as Artemis.
but the engine exhaust nozzles were actual flight hardware (with flight history from various missions), but mounted on specially designed attachment points where the actual engine was supposed to be…
I wouldn't go so far as to say it "saddens" me, but it sure is frustrating to have to hear about going to the bathroom anytime questions are open to the public. Is there anything ELSE you'd like to know? Like, what has changed in the program to ensure anyone silenced for complaining about something (e.g. o-rings in cold weather) is duly heard? Or how astronauts experience total weightlessness despite being close enough to Earth to feel ~95% of Earth's gravity? Or what stages are there involved in docking, and why does it take so long to gain access to ISS after having docked? Can the ISS be expanded to collect, maintain & return disfunctional satellites, etc, etc..millions of questions. But no, someone needs to hear the thing about putting your arse on a suction tube again. I think it's totally appropriate for scientists & astronauts to push back on the bathroom question. Enough.
I mean that's what the general public wants to know. Most people barely know much more than "the moon landing happened in the 60s" or "one small step for man...". Unfortunate truth is the vast majority of people just don't care or lack the interest in space travel, which is a true shame. I'm sure if you asked her this question she'd be happy to answer it. At the end of the day these people spend their careers trying to advance our understanding of space, they want people to find out more about their passion.
@@Mapledisco Very well said. Count me as one who has a million questions, but questions that are best left to people on comment boards - enthusiasts, even hobbyists. But you get an actual astronaut's attention, I find it symbolic of the cosmetic value these Q&A sessions. If it's for a kindergarten class, I get it, but one of these days, if an adult asks the question again, they deserve a real live demo in 8k video. I've had 'dumb' questions answered, I'm clearly not put on this Earth to explore space. I wondered about things like, "why don't we ease/thrust slowly into the atmosphere, rather than hit it at such heat-generating speeds?", when I read about Armstrong's *terrifying* bounce off the atmosphere. He just needed a relatively small thrust to re-enter the atmosphere & get into freefall, so I thought, why not do that, rather than risk aerodynamic heating when all it takes is a small nudge, right? I learned of the great cost involved in slowing down before hitting the atmosphere & that it's the cost of slowing down rather than using the atmosphere as an air-brake. I still have so many questions about why they have to be going ~28k km/h. I hated myself for my lifelong assumption that the ISS astronauts are weightless because of their being ~400kms from Earth's surface, not because of their orbit speed. I was seriously last year old when I learned that if the ISS stopped orbiting and stayed in one place, that all the astronauts would weigh ~89% of what they'd weigh on Earth's surface. Watching astronauts show off their weightlessness in orbit made me believe that it was distance, not orbital 'freefall'.
@@OhGawdHesGotAGun I get that, but I think it's mostly an issue you find with larger channels that are geared towards the kindergarten class. That doesn't mean that there is a lack of deep-reaching creators on here. I discovered Scott Manley over Covid, who covers some fantastic topics on space travel. www.youtube.com/@scottmanley . Also highly recommend Alexander the Ok for a more technical lens. ruclips.net/video/MShnWhUGqHw/видео.html . Also, for some questions like that, always worth a shot to look for a public-facing email address. I attended a couple lectures on spacetravel by various astronauts, and some of them had emails to contact them from.
The shuttle was always a bad idea, though, even if we exclude the two tragic LOC events. It was far too expensive and very limited in its payload capacity. Just because we can do something very complicated doesn't mean that we should. Complexity is not an engineering pattern. If anything, it's an anti-pattern.
....And as wonderful as it was, they have nothing to replace it? The easy, cheap, econmic reuseable orbiter that was anything but cheap and not so reuseable as it took 2 weeks to turn one around to go into space again 😏
Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are far more capable vehicles and way cheaper. Startship could lift an entire fueled shuttle orbiter. So, no, we have far better replacements.
Those engines are actually being re-used in the artemis program, likely will once again help bring astronauts to space. Not "pointless" to me... And also hydrazine is not the greatest thing to be exposed to, unless you like cancer and many other wonderful byproducts
So good to get a look inside. Thank you for this amazing video. Please keep making more videos showing the inside of spacecraft… that we don’t usually get to see. What an incredible machine. NASA and the whole USA must be so proud. And thank you to the Smithsonian for displaying and caring for this marvellous piece of human history.
Any way anyone in the public can enter the crew compartment on any kind of tour?
Looks like it's still ready for flight
Yep is till is 13 years after it last flew
They still keep the registration and oil changes current just in case there's an asteroid that needs nuking.
I was in LA in a plane when this thing stopped us to pass (in 2012 I think) and it was absolutely massive. Looked different than anything I’d ever seen. I had a left window seat and I got one of the best views. My blackberry camera was terrible though and I forgot to even snap a pic.
Huge though.. and low to the ground. Totally through me off.
There are no engines, batteries or liquids (fuel, oil, hydraulic fluid). It’s completely inert.
Far from it
Very rarely do we get taken on a tour inside one of the most incredible machines ever built. Thank you for doing this. Would love if there were more like these!
The views of and within the closed payload bay were unexpected and most welcome to see, thanks!
WOW! thank you so much for that up-close display of the actual working parts! I tried to watch every launch from Charleston, SC from the beach and my computer. I miss those thrills! Go SpaceX!
Very cool. I got to see Discovery when it was brand new. When transporting it from the assembly plant to Florida they stopped at Vandenberg AFB and we drove down to see it. Quite a sight seeing it atop the 747.
I get that feeling if there's any spare space, add velcro
I saw Discovery launch on STS-131 back in 2010, and I've always felt a connection to that particular orbiter. It's a special spacecraft, with a special place in my heart.
I was at the delivery to Dulles and it was a hell of a thing to see the orbiter arrive all burned up and do a flyby on the back of that 747. Really made you go, “oh my god, that’s a space ship.”
Everyone thinks they’re special.
@@xploration1437 ok.
Wait, was that at the launch close to the end of 2010?
I was also at that launch, 6.5 months pregnant, but now I get to be her curator and I can't tell you how great it is to hear she's so special to so many of us!
I absolutely LOVED this introspective look at the Discovery Shuttle. I was MY shuttle in that it was my initiation into human space flight. I saw the Discovery land after the Challenger was lost and it set me off on a journey to love and follow the space program as a young enthusiast. Seeing the Shuttle Discovery on display in your amazing setup was like a coming home event and this is the icing on the cake! Thank you for this additive feature!
22 of January 1998 I seen space shuttle endeavour take off. To this day it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever witnessed
Best thing I've seen today! Thank you! She wasn't there last time I visited the museum. Time for another trip there!
Dr. Levasseur, thank you for the tour, but how about a peek in the working end of Discovery? Aft of the 1307 bulkhead. I worked back there years ago and I think viewers would enjoy seeing the mechanicals.
@JKJ360, sadly, we can't share that material as it's still under ITAR (best to Google that before I mangle it's definition) restrictions. :( Having seen it, it's so amazing. I can say that we do not have most of the working parts of the SSMEs - they were removed prior to delivery for reuse in prep for the Artemis Program. So it's a bit empty in there, but we do still go in the aft compartment to check for hydraulic fluid leaks.
@@jklevasseurPlease just grasp the meaning of your job, you are one of only a few people that are allowed to take a step into this amazing machine and its the only space shuttle left horizontally. Sitting in the commanders chair must be a strange feeling, knowing that this machine will never fly again. Sad.
@tomkutscher1555 I'm not sure that you understand what ITAR means. As Dr Levasseur very kindly put it, this aircraft contains many sensitive (read: classified or export-restricted) components that even with their age, still can prove useful to any of the US's adversaries. It is like asking a pilot on the U-2, F-14, or any of the many other retired USAF jets that are still under ITAR to this day, to have a peek or photograph their camera/engine/FCS systems. No one would like to get a knock at the door by the feds, and it is ridiculous to get angry at someone for following the law. You'll find this attitude and regulations among many other countries - these aircraft are highly advanced, and have billions of dollars poured into their development. No one wants to be the one to give our adversaries a leg up
- A guy who has had to deal with the many complexities of ITAR and export-restricted work
What a incredible machine. The engineers of NASA made a miracle creating this Space-shuttle.
Simply an awesome video. It's nice to see that some of the bigger artifacts do get opened occasionly, ifonly for maintenance and cleaning purposes. I requested once to get an inside look of the Boeing Model 367-80 so I coudl film it and the cockpit for my little RUclips channel, butwas firmly brushed off, and told that the artifacts were never opened and that the Cessna 152 that is open to the public had a similar enough cockpit arrangement. Hopefuly you guys will do one of these for the Boeing Model 367-80, because there is no video anywhere, except maybe the Boeing Archives on what that plane looks like on the inside.
She is beautiful! Thank you for the look inside.
I hope visitors can go inside Discovery one day and feel what it's like to be a real Shuttle Astronaut.
I'm heading over to the US later this year from Australia mainly to visit some Air and Space museums (and some random touristy crap too probably lol) , can't wait to see this in person!
You will have a great time! Thanks for visiting us. Id love to go to Australia. :) - you probably already know this, but make sure you visit the downtown main Air & Space Museum AND Udvar Hazy which is where Discover is. It’s pretty far from DC, but the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio is unreal.
@@lunarweasel Yep I know about the different museums in the DC area, also just about equally interested in seeing the Enola Gay there and the SR-71 as much as the shuttle at Udvar Hazy. Thanks for the suggestion of that air force museum too, after looking it up it seems awesome and I'll try to get there! Maybe an excuse to go in a bit inland and check out Chicago or something.
I've always wanted to see some national parks over on the west side too but I think that will be left to another trip.
@@Roger__WilcoI hope you have a great time here. Best wishes
glad you guys are taking good care of her. Happy Birthday Discovery!
Always enjoyed watching the space shuttle takeoff and landings, but thank you to the Smithsonian for giving us a tour of the inside of the space shuttle it’s very interesting
I miss our special launches and landings
I hope history remembers the space shuttle, not for the two lost crews, but for the amount of science and tech it advanced. Not to diminish the two lost crews at all, just that we learned volumes from and because of the shuttle program.
That was a great tour.
Once you remove panels and see all the wiring, piping, and systems, you start to get a sense how complex the Orbiter is.
Absolutely
Great ship, great tour. Need to get to see this one in person.
I've seen, Enterprise, Discovery and Atlantis... Discovery is by far the best display of the 3. Gives you the best up close and personal feeling. Only thing that would make it better would be to have lights on inside the flight deck.
The California Science Center is assembling a new display with Endeavour. They have received shipment of a set of SRBs and an external fuel tank and are finishing assembly so that Endeavour can be displayed with full stack in launch position.
@justinjovi I saw that. It should be cool too see. Hopefully, you can get close to it.
Great vid - thanks!
I love this video. Well done-I'm proud to be an American.
Why is she wearing a mask? Nobody is near her.
@@davidkruse4030 cameraman, director, guide. She's not holding a selfie stick is she?
@@davidkruse4030 To preserve the shuttle. Germs, bacteria, spit, no one wants to contaminate an artifact. Just like why historians wear masks when opening tombs or sarcophaguses. Also it's very commonplace when working around tech to mask and suit up to prevent any of the electronics from getting exposed to things. Not to mention for the benefit of those around her - like jamie said she isn't in space, someone has to hold that camera up :)
That was incredible to see, thank you!
I am jealous, I would absolutely love to get inside a real orbiter. I saw Atlantis in Florida....Watching it on TV, you really dont get the scale of how really big these vehicles are.
Is Discovered powered, so you can turn on its own lights/fans ? or do you bring your own extension cord and have your own lights/fans while inside?
I’m curious about that too!
We have to bring our own power. So lights and fans (it gets hot in there) are the first thing we hook up after opening the hatch.
So you have your own lights and fans, or bring in power to feed the Shuttle'S own fans and lights? I know it is hard to scale to a large number of visitors, but it would be sooo nice if we could take a peek inside ! @@jklevasseur
I noticed above the toilet there is a sign warning max capacity of 250 lbs. Why is there a weight limit if the toilet will mainly be used in orbit when weightless? Is there ever a situation the toilet might have been used when not in orbit? Or is the sign not for the toilet at all? If it is for the toilet, what sort of situation necessitated that sign? Not being gross or crass, truly just curious!
The radiators are rusting. Does the NASM have a plan to mitigate more rust from forming and restore the radiators to their like-delivered condition?
do you think they are made from cast iron or steel? :D
So that's not actually rust! It's discoloration of the kapton tape used. I asked that same question during our filming. The solar radiation actually discolored underlayers and a new tyep of kapton covering was put on, but it discolored anyway. I will tell you, it's also the moment I asked "what's that strange smell?" and our maintenence experts (former shuttle engineers) said "that's the smell of space!" Jaw dropping moment.
I’ve had the privilege to stand right next to her there. You don’t realize just how big they are until you see one in person. She’s a beautiful lady.
Can you do an interior view of the Super Connie? I didn’t know you had one until I visited.
I’d love to see inside the Connie. Must be hard to keep it all from getting dusty inside these airplanes.
She still looks pristine, absolutely beautiful!!!!
Is there a video with a seamless walkthrough so we can better grasp the space and layout?
I was there, along with my late brother in law, the day Discovery was welcomed to Udvar Hazy. I had planned to return for the ten year anniversary, but John lost his life to Agent Orange in 2020.
Take care of her...
More than happy to do that, and thanks for sharing that great memory. I was there that day too and it was magical.
@@jklevasseur I was the tall guy wearing the blue NASA jacket.
@@spaceflight1019 My job that day was leading about 30 of those onto the property as they escorted Discovery to the event. Were you one of those? ;-)
@@jklevasseur Probably not. John and I were out in the crowd, and when we got to when they placed the two vehicles close and we could take photos I took a picture in black and white because it reminded me of the two locomotives that celebrated the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
It was a great day; the successful completion of my eight year adventure. It had its magic, though.
A reporter for a newspaper asked me what my connection to the shuttle program was. After I told her the short version, someone in the assembled crowd said "thank you for your service". I was astounded, and said that I never flew. He thanked me again and the crowd began to applaud. I looked at John, and he just grinned. I was never in the service, but yet I had found a way to serve our country that didn't involve guns.
Awesome!!!!
Should also have been the final orbiter to fly. NASA made a mistake not having Discovery fly the final shuttle mission in my opinion since she returned us to space after both disasters.
02:45. Velcro, the gift to humankind from a stranded Vulcan. 😂
(Ref. Star Trek Enterprise, Carbon Creek)
Discovery columbia challenger atlantis enterprise me falta uno?
2:00 If the suction system fails it brings a new meaning to the phrase leaving a floater in the bowl
what, no cd player?
Loved watching the space launches and seeing what missions they did. This generation is missing all of this today.
Great video! Thanx! There's another channel by a man named Jared Owen. He creates animations about how things work. He did one on the shuttle along with many other machines. Check him out sometime.
If we have learnt anything from the space program it is that we have absolutely no idea what we are doing or what will happen next. My parents live in Hennypenny Land and think man building on the moon will push it out of orbit sooner or later with all the earth tide implications associated with what will more than likely be a disaster for earth. What is in place to stop that from happening in the event of man actually building on the moon?
Thinking about how they burned up in there. So namby pamby for safety and they missed that? Oh well hope i did offend RUclips or they take this post down. Glad big authority is looking over us.
Thank you - what a fantastic video!
I hope you realize how privileged you are to be able to see the inside, it's something that will unlikely be ever opened for the public. Thank you for sharing this!
I worked at a tire recycling plant at Legal ,Alberta. One of the presses making the big rubber tiles came from NASA. There is a plaque on the big control unit showing the the year it was put in service. This press was originally used to make the tiles on the space shuttle.
What a amazing and complex vehicle❤️ it still looks so cool
The coolest part of living in LA is access to the Endeavor. They are mounting it upright with all three external tanks in launch position right now and building a new building around it as it is all mounted. If you are into space definitely Google California Science Center Space Shuttle- it's all happening literally right now. I take *everyone* that visits to the science center at USC. The remaining space shuttles are world wonders on par with the pyramids.
3 tanks??
@@JoeBlow-bd1eg The giant orange liquid tank which has been basically laying in the backyard for the last decade, and the two white solid rocket motors on either side of it. Not technically tanks I guess but you know what I mean- the full launch assembly in its upright position. I am beyond stoked for it to be finished
I got to be there the night the orbiter was moved and it was pure joy and magic. So please for our friends at the California Science Center. The shuttle story over all the final locations of program equipment feels complete now.
Do you have your wear face masks in the shuttle?
The shuttle had certain degree of grime and charring on it when it arrived at Udvar Hazy. I was there to see it fly in and it was really striking how it’s definitely a machine that’s been to space quite a bit. They’re trying to preserve that west while also cleaning away accumulating dust from the museum. Also the payload bay was always kept in clean room conditions when the orbiter was in flight. That means booties, masks and other measures that minimize the impact of crawling around in there.
Interesting that you can get into the "driver's seat" without having to wear a "bunny suit", or protective clothing. The reason is to protect the shuttle controls from body oils, hair, skin cells, etc.
Great video !
Absolutely fascinating
I didn't realise upside down mattered in space when getting into a space suit.
The space shuttle was a great achievement in spacecraft. It was powerful and reusable.
The problem was that its use in space was much more stressful on the machinery than was thought.This resulted in much more parts replacement and many fewer flights.
The thermal protection system was particularly fragile. I wonder if a strengthening of the tps could have been done even if it drastically reduced the payload, to allow the shuttle to fly longer.
I think the name 'space shuttle' was a poor one, even if accurate. It was such a mundane name for such a sophisticated spacecraft. Spaceplane would have been better!
A few opinions from Canada.
We lost something as humanity when we grounded the Space Shuttles permanently
Yes, we lost a very expensive and very dangerous launch vehicle. Just because something looks cool doesn't mean that it is.
Good thing she wore a mask, shows she really cares.
I’ve been there I’ve seen it. It’s really huge in person. Pretty crazy to think.
GOD MAKES YOU WISH YOU COULD TAKE THE TOUR YOURSELF INSIDE THANK YOU FOR THE VISIT STILL MISS THE OLD GIRL FLYING SPACE X IS AWESOME BUT IN MY POINT OF YOU NOTHING WILL REPLACE THE SHUTTLE!!!
Why did it take so long to figure out that we don’t need the space shuttle to launch satellites?
It didn't. The original idea was that we would save on launch costs with the Space Shuttle because it was reusable. After the Challenger disaster, it became clear that the Shuttle was never going to be less expensive than unmanned rockets. However, certain satellites and payloads were still better suited for the space shuttle so it was still used in those particular cases. Check out the Astro-1 and Astro-2 missions. Absolutely amazing and impossible to do with anything but the Space Shuttle.
I am glad she wore a paper mask to do a two person video.
That was cool!
If I were any more jealous right now I would just turn into dust. Thank you for the video!
Excellent. Lets have a one hour tour
Howard Walowitz designed that toilet.
There's my little girl! I love you my, little sister! I'm older the her my 20-weeks and 4-days.
Now we just throw up hundreds of satellites at a tenth of the cost with no risk to humans.
The engines are replicas as the real RS25 engines were far too valuable to be left in a museum as they're still current kit and used on such projects as Artemis.
but the engine exhaust nozzles were actual flight hardware (with flight history from various missions), but mounted on specially designed attachment points where the actual engine was supposed to be…
Ah, its …”in orbit dear”.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it "saddens" me, but it sure is frustrating to have to hear about going to the bathroom anytime questions are open to the public. Is there anything ELSE you'd like to know? Like, what has changed in the program to ensure anyone silenced for complaining about something (e.g. o-rings in cold weather) is duly heard? Or how astronauts experience total weightlessness despite being close enough to Earth to feel ~95% of Earth's gravity? Or what stages are there involved in docking, and why does it take so long to gain access to ISS after having docked? Can the ISS be expanded to collect, maintain & return disfunctional satellites, etc, etc..millions of questions.
But no, someone needs to hear the thing about putting your arse on a suction tube again. I think it's totally appropriate for scientists & astronauts to push back on the bathroom question. Enough.
I mean that's what the general public wants to know. Most people barely know much more than "the moon landing happened in the 60s" or "one small step for man...". Unfortunate truth is the vast majority of people just don't care or lack the interest in space travel, which is a true shame.
I'm sure if you asked her this question she'd be happy to answer it. At the end of the day these people spend their careers trying to advance our understanding of space, they want people to find out more about their passion.
@@Mapledisco Very well said. Count me as one who has a million questions, but questions that are best left to people on comment boards - enthusiasts, even hobbyists. But you get an actual astronaut's attention, I find it symbolic of the cosmetic value these Q&A sessions. If it's for a kindergarten class, I get it, but one of these days, if an adult asks the question again, they deserve a real live demo in 8k video.
I've had 'dumb' questions answered, I'm clearly not put on this Earth to explore space. I wondered about things like, "why don't we ease/thrust slowly into the atmosphere, rather than hit it at such heat-generating speeds?", when I read about Armstrong's *terrifying* bounce off the atmosphere. He just needed a relatively small thrust to re-enter the atmosphere & get into freefall, so I thought, why not do that, rather than risk aerodynamic heating when all it takes is a small nudge, right? I learned of the great cost involved in slowing down before hitting the atmosphere & that it's the cost of slowing down rather than using the atmosphere as an air-brake. I still have so many questions about why they have to be going ~28k km/h.
I hated myself for my lifelong assumption that the ISS astronauts are weightless because of their being ~400kms from Earth's surface, not because of their orbit speed. I was seriously last year old when I learned that if the ISS stopped orbiting and stayed in one place, that all the astronauts would weigh ~89% of what they'd weigh on Earth's surface. Watching astronauts show off their weightlessness in orbit made me believe that it was distance, not orbital 'freefall'.
@@OhGawdHesGotAGun I get that, but I think it's mostly an issue you find with larger channels that are geared towards the kindergarten class. That doesn't mean that there is a lack of deep-reaching creators on here. I discovered Scott Manley over Covid, who covers some fantastic topics on space travel. www.youtube.com/@scottmanley . Also highly recommend Alexander the Ok for a more technical lens. ruclips.net/video/MShnWhUGqHw/видео.html .
Also, for some questions like that, always worth a shot to look for a public-facing email address. I attended a couple lectures on spacetravel by various astronauts, and some of them had emails to contact them from.
That should be Columbia there. If nasa wasn’t incompetent
WTF! - No rear view mirror, cigarette lighter, am/fm radio, emergency brake, tachometer?
No wonder this thing is decommissioned ......
Amazing
And not ONE TRIP to the moon?
In the Space Shuttle??? How and why?
Very cool
I always notice that Americans never call the Arm by its proper name. “The Canadarm”.
The fact that she has to use past tense for all this is appalling. This was one of the US redeeming qualities
The shuttle was always a bad idea, though, even if we exclude the two tragic LOC events. It was far too expensive and very limited in its payload capacity. Just because we can do something very complicated doesn't mean that we should. Complexity is not an engineering pattern. If anything, it's an anti-pattern.
....And as wonderful as it was, they have nothing to replace it? The easy, cheap, econmic reuseable orbiter that was anything but cheap and not so reuseable as it took 2 weeks to turn one around to go into space again 😏
Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are far more capable vehicles and way cheaper. Startship could lift an entire fueled shuttle orbiter. So, no, we have far better replacements.
Lots of Velcro?……what a ripoff
yeah but it's got a fake engine in it for display, that almost makes the whole thing seem pointless
Those engines are actually being re-used in the artemis program, likely will once again help bring astronauts to space. Not "pointless" to me... And also hydrazine is not the greatest thing to be exposed to, unless you like cancer and many other wonderful byproducts
Ya, don't call it what it says right on it. "Canada arm" because you want the credit for it, so typical...
Thank you for this. On my bucket list for sure.
Is that one of the ones that exploded where all those people died for no reason