Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: holds in countdown
Message-ID: <1989Mar22.175252.1343@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <8.UUL1.3#5131@mvac.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 89 17:52:52 GMT

In article <8.UUL1.3#5131@mvac.UUCP> mvac!space@udel.edu writes:
>... Countdowns for launches
>begin much earlier than the time alloted in the countdown timer... I know that
>'built in holds' are the reason why the two clocks do not agree, but my ques-
>tion is why are they there?  If you *know* that you are going to stop the clock
>for 1 hour and 20 minutes when the countdown clock says T-xxx, than why not 
>just add one hour and 20 minutes to the countdown clock and just say that from
>T-4:20 to T-3:00, there is no planned activity.  

There is no particularly good reason for this; it's just NASA tradition
as far as I know.
-- 
Welcome to Mars!  Your         |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
passport and visa, comrade?    | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu