Space Shuttle Columbia EXPLODES!

Andrewstarlz, it's never said flat out, but everything I've read leads me to believe that Columbia had already gone through communications blackout. For one thing, they were only seconds away from landing (yes, even though they were still in Texas. Kind of puts their speed in perspective, huh?). For another, there were tramsmissions right up to the point the ship is believed to have broken up. All the NASA people interviewed say they knew something was wrong as soon as they lost contact. Put that all together, and I think they were recieving information right up until the whole craft disintegrated.

However, this does not mean we will have an accurate picture of what happened. Several sensors went "Off the charts Low" on the left wing before they lost contact. This means that the sensors (temperature sensors, actually) suddenly began recording a temperature lower than they were able ot register. As such a thing is effectively impossible during re-entry, what it really means is that the sensors simply went off-line. Whether they were destroyed, had the wires cut, were damaged, or what, we can not tell. They simply stopped giving usable information. The fact that these sensors went off-line makes it seem like whatever happened started on the left wing. However, since they went off-line, we have no information on precisely that area of the spacecraft. It seems to me that the only way to figure out what happened is to pick up the pieces, and look at how they fell apart from each other. It can be very accurate, but it can take a long time.

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I hear America screaming...

I almost cried when I saw that they had retrieved the burnt astronaut helmets. To think that was all that the families have left of their loves ones. It different having someone pass away on Earth. Atleast we could see our love ones one last time.
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Lake Compounce-So Fresh and So Clean Clean

Aside from the few body parts they have supposedly found...

--Ryan

Couple of points I just want to comment on.

1st the so-called "Ionazation Blackout": Back in the early days of the Shuttle, these would be long and drawn out (circa 6 minute) complete losses of communication. However, nowadays, with our technological advances, these have been reduced to only the occasional temporary losses. Also, when the shuttle is incapable of broadcasting telemetry downward to Earth through the "plasma shield" it *is* possible to relay that telemetry upwards to communications sattelites, provided, of course, there are sattelites in the correct position.

Yes, NASA has videotaped re-entry from inside the cockpit of the shuttle before. However, I dont know if they were doing it on this flight. Furthermore, it does not seem that the cockpit crew were aware of any problems ahead of time, so I've not sure a cockpit video would hold much new information anyway.

Now, for you all that seem to question the use of the Space Shuttle at its "age". Well the bottom line is nothing we have works better. The "X-10" (actually X-33, the X-10 was jua 50's era plane) was a flop and everyone in the space community knew it, which is why development was halted. It basically failed every phase of the testing regiment. Furthermore, NASA did not have the money to correct the myriad of problems. Remember, that during the time of development NASA was still under pressure to launch regularly to install and service those wonderful communications sattelites we all benefit from all the while their funding has been cut~40% over the last decade.

Moreover, "new" does not (necessarily) equal "better" in the areospace community. One of the millitary's most technologically advanced aircraft is total garbage (The Marine 'Osprey'), while a 1970's era fighter still plays a LARGE role in protecting American interests (the USAF F-16).

As for the heat tiles, it is an easy choice to deem a failure in the heat tiles to be the root cause of the problem. Indeed, that may turn out to be the case. But, let us not forget that when Columbia '81 (STS-1) returned from its inagural flight, the NASA officials were "amazed" at how many tiles were missing when it landed. There is significant proof that a shuttle *can* survive re-entry with a few tiles missing.

BTW: None of the "next genereation" space planes suggested using a different type of heat-shielding method. NASA believed the "tiles" was an ample solution....

EDIT: Corrected techincal designations and added web links

lata, jeremy
--who only wishes he could be part and parcel to the the accident investigation.
*** This post was edited by 2Hostyl 2/3/2003 1:41:54 PM ***

Despite my earlier concern about the craft's age, I will agree that it probably shouldn't be that much of an issue. However, and I'm no engineer, I have to wonder how they would test the airframe for weaknesses. I can only wonder if a combination of thermal issues and structural weakness had something to do with it. Certainly the data they have so far leads me to think that the thermal part is certainly true, but we'll have to see how it all pans out.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Jeff, I am pretty sure the airframe is X-Rayed after every flight. It just seems like too big of a deal to not do that.

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Da Poodle

Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!

*** This post was edited by MagnumForce 2/3/2003 1:47:17 PM ***

...And the latest thing I've heard indicates that they're leaning towards a 'thermal event'. But it sounds like it it still isn't a problem of broken tiles, but rather an improper approach attitude, that the approach angle was so far out of spec that the autopilot could not compensate for it.

I've heard a suggestion implicating a landing gear door, but of course that is mere wild speculation at this point...there is no confirmation or hard data. The good news about that is that it sounds like a "simple" mechanical failure (as if anything about that craft can be considered 'simple'). That is only good news in that it may simplify the correction procedure needed to get the other craft back in the air.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Dave,

An internal memo from a NASA engineering team calculated with a "...high probability that the launch debris had caused a gash 7½ by 30 inches on the shuttle’s left wing..." according to this story on MSNBC.com

I don't truly think we will ever DECISIVELY know what caused this unfortunate accident. Unlike the Challenger explosion where it was clearly shown that hot gases from the solid rocket booster ignited the main external fuel tank. In this case, I just can't see that level of certainty ever being reached.

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--George H
---Superman the ride...coming to a SF park near you soon...
Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)
*** This post was edited by redman822 2/3/2003 1:04:34 PM ***

Don't let their passing extinguish their dreams.............

I went to NASA.gov and read more about the crew and exactly what their mission was. The website has a lot of video feeds from Columbia with the crew members taking turns narrating. It was really sad to watch, but I also felt better that at least I knew more about them and what they accomplished during their mission.

I am feeling guilty for not paying attention and taking shuttle launches for granted. Hell, I didn't even know STS-107 was even in space let alone scheduled to land Saturday and that makes me feel really sad. I call myself watching the news daily, but I missed something somewhere and hated very much the way I had to find out about Columbia even being in orbit. I know it will take time, but I hope the next STS mission is launched as soon as possible. The program needs to go on.

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My problem is that I'm infatuated with the Osbournes.