Re: Why does the shuttle sit out on the launch pad for a month before launch?

On Feb 27, 3:55 pm, "Danny Deger" <dannyde...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<Kieran.M.Ke...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1172606550.286692.40540@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After this past weekend's damage to the external fuel tank due to
hailstorm, I was wondering why the shuttle sits out on the launch pad
for so long before launch?

Good question. I think the Russians keep the Soyuz in a hanger and take it
to the launch pad the morning of the launch. But in the US it is
"impossible" to do this much work in a day.

Danny

Hardly, based on the slew of PR photos I've seen of ISS crews standing
by their Soyuz rocket, days before launch. True a Soyuz spends a lot
less time on the pad than Shuttle, but these are two totally different
vehicles.

-A.L.

.

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