Aloha! Somehow, I think we can do it! It seems that there’s a delam situation with the fuel tank. I understand that the foam is sprayed on by hand. Perhaps some kind of webbing, net-like material applied when the foam is sprayed would help to hold the foam together. With all the creative genius at work here on a daily basis, I bet that we could come up with some bright ideas. Plus, imagine what this could do for the credibility factor, for all of us that play with ‘toy’ surfboards! Let’s go!! Imua!!! Aloha…RH
…and don’t forget the “Swaylock’s inspired” laminate…
Ive also been thinking about NASA’s little problem. I would just shrink wrap the entire tank with a thin polymer film with an adhesive backing. They will never stop every little bit of foam disbonding/falling off, they just need some way of holding it in place and catching the bits.
NASA have a link on there home page for usefull suggestions. Perhaps a free ride into space for whover solves the problem would be a good incentive?
duct tape
dubstar is right… duct tape solves everything from shuttles to marriages. or, NASA could send out a swaylocks guy to go fix it. (swaylocks lam on the shuttle)
Howzit Rick, You must be reading my mind,I was thinking the same thing yesterday coming home from eye doc.Did you see the article in NALU where Titus mentions you and BASA. BASA told me Geez now every one will be trying to get a longboard from me(BASA).Aloha,Kokua
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It seems that there’s a delam situation with the fuel tank
Apparently the large section of foam lost on the recent launch was in an area NASA didn’t touch at all after the Columbia accident.
Take the Greyhound…you guys in Kauai really miss something not having the Dog to take you to nirvana…
They should have vac bagged that shuttle with a balsa sandwich. That would look so sweet.
I wonder if they were using xps
Rio
Howzit Daklaw, Maybe it’s time they consulted with Greg L. Wouldn’t that be great. Goes from surfboard builder to NASA consultant.Aloha,Kokua
It would be hilarious if NASA was actually reading this. maybe thats what all the swaylurkers are… NASA researchers using our ideas on fiberglass and foam constuction. lol
next shuttle… blasa sandwich
Hah! You could ask NASA for the specs to design from, but I bet they wouldn’t give them to you. Then, you could probably get them from China, which is planning to build a popout version of the shuttle.
hehe,
Next big thing in aerospace technology:
New Balsa sandwich shuttle being towed into space with a fighter jet.
hmm, it is interesting that bert made a huge surfboard…coincidence? i think not
Rio
“It would be hilarious if NASA was actually reading this. maybe thats what all the swaylurkers are… NASA researchers using our ideas on fiberglass and foam constuction. lol”
They are…4est is a rocket scientist. 'Cept he doesn’t screw around with piss ant shuttles…he’s going to Mars!
Waayyyy ahead a ya.
I actually wrote my congressman over two years ago about this. Don’t believe me ask Greg!
He got cc’d.
That said start pounding your congressmen with letters!
Just because I was the first doesn’t mean I have to be the last.
Actually, I work for NASA, at the Jet Propulsion Lab here in Pasadena CA. I however have nothing to do with the shuttle. We spend our time sending crap to Mars and blowing up comets. It’s a little safer. I do know though that a ton of people have already been laid off because of the money being spent on the return to flight issues and it’s not getting any better.
Kevin
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They should have vac bagged that shuttle with a balsa sandwich. That would look so sweet.
I wonder if they were using xps
Balsa might have launch applications but I’d rather re-enter on a Greyhound.
Not using xps, using XTC…
Howzit?!? Greg and I were ‘classmates’ back in Cocoa Beach, in like, 1970-'71. We had our own version of the space program even back then. I recall some killer launches in those days. Saw them blow up one that went haywire at night. Spectacular!. They just happened to send one off to the moon on the day of my first L-- trip. What an incredible experience!! Anyway, I’m serious about this. I recall the fuel tank as being pretty big, and that they pick the things up out of the ocean down range after the launch. Tow them back to Port Canaveral to reuse them. I have no clue as to what they’re made out of, but maybe it’s a contamination problem between the skin of the tank, and the sprayed-on foam. Obviously, the dynamics of a shuttle launch are a little more extreme than launching a fat air on a three foot day, but figure that we build things that get used on a regular basis, and these guys send one up only rarely. Space is about composite technology, let’s hear some tech from you experts in this area. But, then again, zitty hotcoats and FCS failures are important also. Think! Aloha…RH
NASA needs the Silver Surfer. Great name for the next shuttle series.