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Message
re: Space Shuttle Columbia's First Victims
Posted on 2/1/26 at 10:47 am to ChineseBandit58
Posted on 2/1/26 at 10:47 am to ChineseBandit58
It was one hole or one crack in one part of the leading edge of one of the wings. When they reentered, that breach allowed hot gasses to penetrate the substructure, which made the breach grow and spread and eventually eroded the leading edge of the wing and lead to catastrophe. I don't remember if the shuttle tumbled, but it eventually broke up. Remains of all seven were identified, so that really ought to answer the question above.
I worked for Lockheed at Kennedy Space Center in the late 80's early 90's. Maybe a week or two before the Columbia disaster, I was telling a co-worker about it, and he asked "Do you think they are going to lose another one?". I said "Yes, and I will tell you how". I then described the leading edge sub-system thermal protection and explained how I thought it would fail some day in the tiles immediately adjacent to the RCC panels. I was wrong, the RCC panel itself cracked or was punctured, something I had never seen, and I don't think anyone I worked with had seen either, though we did have a process to repair those panels. Most damage to the Space Shuttle heat shield happened on the ground. The tiles are extremely fragile.
I worked for Lockheed at Kennedy Space Center in the late 80's early 90's. Maybe a week or two before the Columbia disaster, I was telling a co-worker about it, and he asked "Do you think they are going to lose another one?". I said "Yes, and I will tell you how". I then described the leading edge sub-system thermal protection and explained how I thought it would fail some day in the tiles immediately adjacent to the RCC panels. I was wrong, the RCC panel itself cracked or was punctured, something I had never seen, and I don't think anyone I worked with had seen either, though we did have a process to repair those panels. Most damage to the Space Shuttle heat shield happened on the ground. The tiles are extremely fragile.
This post was edited on 2/1/26 at 10:53 am
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Posted on 2/1/26 at 11:53 am to Volvagia
quote:
Wtf man?
I was also curious
Posted on 2/1/26 at 11:59 am to MikeD
quote:
Such a failure of confined space monitoring
My cousin lost her first husband when he went to inspect a pressure vessel that had been incompletely purged of argon. His safety line got snagged and they couldn't pull him out. I don’t know why he wasn't wearing breathing apparatus.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 1:59 pm to Wraytex
quote:
Those Astronauts were the first deaths attributable to the war on climate change that I'm aware of. The propellant used to apply main tank insulation was switched due to the old stuff being bad for the precious ozone layer and we know how well it wound up sticking to the tank.
Some clarifications are needed.
The Montreal Protocol (ratified in 1987) directed the phase out of certain freons because of the damage to the ozone layer. This wasn't primarily a global warming initiative, but to protect from the sun's UV rays.
The three Space Shuttle main engines ran off cryogenics LH2 (-423F) and LOX (-297F). Insulation (aka SOFI - sprayed-on foam insulation) was used on its External Tanks (ET) to prevent the formation of ice, maintain propellant quality, and protect from aero heating effects during ascent.
Due to the Montreal Protocol, some of the insulation used on the ET that flew on Columbia's last mission may have used HCFC 141b. Prior to that, ET foams used CFC 11 as their blowing agent. However, because the ET components are fabricated on different schedules and then the completed ETs manifest occasionally out-of-sequence, the ET that flew with Columbia was an older ET, and the foam from its -Y (LH) Bipod Ramp that impacted its RCC panel used CFC 11.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 2:03 pm to Wraytex
quote:
Those Astronauts were the first deaths attributable to the war on climate change that I'm aware of. The propellant used to apply main tank insulation was switched due to the old stuff being bad for the precious ozone layer and we know how well it wound up sticking to the tank.
Got the same thing from former colleagues who were in a position to know, very highly placed engineering execs. They will still get angry over it if you ask them today. With all due respect to the official story posted by another poster right above, I believe they would argue with what you said.
This post was edited on 2/1/26 at 2:07 pm
Posted on 2/1/26 at 2:47 pm to TheRealTigerHorn
quote:
Got the same thing from former colleagues who were in a position to know, very highly placed engineering execs.
Then I shall have to inform you that your former colleagues are full of bad stuff and don't know what they're talking about.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 2:56 pm to AlwysATgr
quote:
Rockwell technicians
To bad they didn't have six hydrocoptic marzlevanes, so fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling was effectively prevented.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 3:17 pm to AlwysATgr
What a way to start the month. A thread on the OT where some people actually know what the F they're talking about. 
Posted on 2/1/26 at 3:27 pm to RFK
quote:
Were any bodies intact?
From what I have read there were just pieces of bodies, much of which was not identifiable as to who they came from.
Picture the back half of a foot in a piece of boot sort of thing. Or a glob of entrails.
This post was edited on 2/1/26 at 3:29 pm
Posted on 2/1/26 at 3:36 pm to weagle1999
quote:
there were just pieces of bodies, much of which was not identifiable as to who they came from.
they did initially find a body part believed to be from the black astronaut, after forensics exam, turned out it was a radiator hose from a’57 Chevy
Posted on 2/1/26 at 3:42 pm to 777Tiger
quote:
they did initially find a body part believed to be from the black astronaut, after forensics exam, turned out it was a radiator hose from a’57 Chevy
Wtf?
Posted on 2/1/26 at 3:45 pm to BooHoo2
quote:quote:
What does Go touch grass even mean? I only see it here
Putting your bare feet on the grass/earth calms your nervous system so it’s just a trendy way of saying calm down.
Really?
I’ve always taken it as you’re telling someone they spend too much time in their mom’s basement and need to go outside and feel the fresh air/grass.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 4:38 pm to DustyDinkleman
quote:Yeah, I guess you could see it that way too - get outside and stop spending so much time online.
I’ve always taken it as you’re telling someone they spend too much time in their mom’s basement and need to go outside and feel the fresh air/grass.
Posted on 2/1/26 at 6:11 pm to 777Tiger
quote:
they did initially find a body part believed to be from the black astronaut, after forensics exam, turned out it was a radiator hose from a’57 Chevy
Racist
Posted on 2/1/26 at 6:31 pm to AlwysATgr
On a fishing trip to Toledo Bend a few years ago, I finally went and checked out the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum in Hemphill. Pretty cool place, and a great way to get out of the afternoon heat - especially after eating at HBBQ!
On a more somber note, we then went to the roadside memorial where partial remains of Kalpana Chawla were found. Very moving.
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Side note - learned that the Israeli astronaut that perished (Ilan Ramon), had been a decorated fighter pilot and flew in Operation Opera/Babylon - the 1981 raid that took out an Iraqi nuclear reactor that was being built.
On a more somber note, we then went to the roadside memorial where partial remains of Kalpana Chawla were found. Very moving.
[/url][/img] Side note - learned that the Israeli astronaut that perished (Ilan Ramon), had been a decorated fighter pilot and flew in Operation Opera/Babylon - the 1981 raid that took out an Iraqi nuclear reactor that was being built.
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