NASA to build 3rd Tallest Rollercoaster.

I am just trying to imagine a problem with a space ship that you would have enough of a delay to get away with 4 minutes to spare...

Of course it goes without saying that I am not a rocket scientist....

Jeff, I believe they said it was too hard to get an injured person into the baskets.

Also, Why would they build the coaster to go straight down the tower? Wouldn't that cause you to have less time to get away? *** Edited 10/9/2007 12:12:11 AM UTC by DantheCoasterman***

Knowing the government, they'll hire Intamin, and when they need to actually use it, everyone will die because it was broken down.

^Actually they woudl be grounded if its broken down. NASA would not even deploy the rocket at all in this case. Only if the coaster is "go".

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Jeff said:
Was there something wrong with the baskets on zip lines that they've been using for almost 30 years? (I didn't read the article.)

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people jumping out of them to either sue NASA or people jumping out to commit suicide, of course jeff. :-P

actually the baskets can fail if the tower was to go down (tension is required), and this would be much safer/quicker for high speed evacs...

NASA and Intamin... why does this somehow make sense?

I wonder how you're positioned in that train. I guess you'd sit down, but are there lap bars or harnesses, or anything like that?

No theres no harnesses we're going to send astronauts tumbling down the tower, OF COURSE THERES HARNESSES. Its going to be OTSRs. If I can I will try to find the article in Popular Science to show the pics of the restraints and cars.

I have a few friends, I'm a freshman AE major at ERAU in Daytona, that co-op for United Space Alliance at Kennedy. They often work on LC-39A/B. I plan to co-op for USA my Junior/Senior year; maybe I'll get the ultimate coaster credit. (If they allow two of my friends inside the Shuttle Orbiters, they should allow co-ops to ride the "coaster")

It won't be Intamin - it'll be by an American company.

Also, Impey Barbicane - I wouldn't plan on seeing this ready for testing for at least 5 - 6 years. The shuttle pads will be active until 2010 before they'll be demolished and the new pads start construction sometime after that.

This is going to be an intense ride, so I wouldn't look for many to get to try it anyway.

^ I wouldn't be surprised if this ride sets the record for the greatest G force on a roller coaster or any thrill ride. I believe that record still belongs to Mindbender... correct me if i'm wrong.

Straight down? How 2005. Don't they know past vertical drops are in? No inversions? No airtime?

No celebrity tie-in. Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman are obvious tie-ins with the astronaut angles. Plus Lindsay Wagner has plenty of free time between those Sleep Number commercials.

No pre announcement blog, no marketing campaign. No POV ride video. No imagination.

Who picked that color scheme-- gray and yellow? Boring. I can see this as being a capacity nightmare. I'd have to say I'm completely underwhelmed.

Any other typical enthusiast whines I missed? :)

Not sure I understand how this will actually save any lives if the rocket were to blow up. There would be little to know warning...likely seconds if even that much. Would it not be be more prudent to actually build the cockpit/living quarters almost explosion proof. Or have a way to wisk that whole piece of the craft right off the rest of the rocket? I guess I just dont understand how this will actually work in the event of a real catastrophe.

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Cory Patrick said:
Also, Impey Barbicane - I wouldn't plan on seeing this ready for testing for at least 5 - 6 years. The shuttle pads will be active until 2010 before they'll be demolished and the new pads start construction sometime after that.

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LC-39B is already deactivated. It will be kept in reserve status until after the final Hubble mission (Aug. 2008) in case a rescue is needed away from ISS, but no shuttle flights are scheduled to launch from 39B. It has already begun initial conversion to a Ares pad. After the Hubble mission full-scale construction is scheduled to begin. I'm sure the "coaster" will be one of the last things built, though.

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Cory Patrick said:
It won't be Intamin - it'll be by an American company.

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With 4% American parts, just like GM.

Apparently Cory doesn't know that Sikorsky is building the new "Marine One" helicopters for the President.

RGB: Why are they even building a new steel coaster when there are plenty of wood coasters that need to be preserved? And that station theming - rocket gantries are so 1960's! There's nothing to it but the first drop - it's a one-trick pony. But thanks to that diaper-wearing astronaut getting busted, one less person in front of me in line! :)

Maybe NASA will put in a replica in the visitor's center, for "training" purposes.

old news

http://tinyurl.com/23gvgt

below a few other designs

http://tinyurl.com/2u59zy

www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4888

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- *** Edited 10/9/2007 7:14:47 PM UTC by PcMan***

What a lame name for a ride. It's not even the tallest coaster in the world and they have the audacity to call it "Orion"?

;) for sarcasm and sar-chasm

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Sheikrafanatic said:
No theres no harnesses we're going to send astronauts tumbling down the tower, OF COURSE THERES HARNESSES. Its going to be OTSRs. If I can I will try to find the article in Popular Science to show the pics of the restraints and cars.

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No need to be rude. I just thought that harnesses might be a little impractical if you're trying to get out of the tower in an emergency.

*** Edited 10/9/2007 10:30:29 PM UTC by MadlyMagnum***