Shuttle Tank Foam Warning Came Three Years Ago

Florida Today via Space.com ^ | May 6, 2003 | John Kelly

[Cincinatus]

HOUSTON -- Nearly three years before Columbia launched, NASA engineers listed a host of potentially risky problems with foam insulation applied to shuttle fuel tanks at Lockheed Martin's factory near New Orleans, agency records show.

A list of "high risk" items was circulated among tank program officials in February 2000, including manufacturing processes at the Michoud Assembly Facility. That's where investigators are now probing whether application flaws caused foam debris to break away from Columbia's tank.

NASA investigators have zeroed in on wing damage from foam debris as the cause of the Feb. 1 accident that destroyed the $2 billion shuttle and killed seven astronauts. Today, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board will unveil its "working hypothesis" of what caused the ship to disintegrate after hearing testimony from a string of NASA witnesses.

[Cincinatus]

Environmental requirements requiring removal of freon from the process for spraying the foam insulation onto the tank. NASA has said that the freon-free application method resulted in foam that initially did not adhere to the tank as well, but changes were later made to strengthen the bond of the environmentally friendly foam.

We saved the ozone layer, but destroyed the Shuttle. RIP, Columbia astronauts.

[anymouse]

Thank Al-bore for this "save the Planet - kill astronauts" politics over safety decision.

[Paleo Conservative]

The new method should not have been used in launch vehicles till the bugs were worked out.

[snopercod]

The problem is worse than this article states.

Challenger and two Titan III's were lost partially due to the replacement of asbestos-bearing putty with zinc chromate putty to seal the booster segments.

Also, the solvents and adhesives used in the booster mating procecures were changed, resulting in O-ring blowby similar to that which brought down the Challenger.

It continues to this day. NASA is a pitifull, helpless, giant...

[Doc On The Bay]

"The New Method would Not have been used..."

& that Dollar under your Pillow REALLY came from the "Tooth Fairy"--

& the 6' piece of foam IMPREGNATED WITH atmospheric Water-Ice striking the Shuttle @ 260+ MPH did WHAT??--

The Columbia Crew was Doomed after Liftoff--& SOMEONE @ NASA KNEW IT!!

We SHOULD HAVE done better!

It MAY BE necessary to "Go Through" NASA "Like SH+T THROUGH A GOOSE!!"

HOW the H+ll can we go Back to the Moon--& ON TO MARS--if our "Best & Brightest" must LIE to us!!

IT IS IMPERATIVE that "W" gets "The Truth" from NASA, & IT IS IMPERATIVE that we GO BACK TO THE MOON & ON---EVEN IF "W" contain's &/or Defeats Terrorism; His Lasting Legacy will be the Human Conquest of The Moon & Mars.

Because of our current level of Technology, the Human Race MUST "GO OUT," or perish.

Despite our struggle against terrorism, "W 's" Legacy will be his willingness to fund & support Mankind's expansion to Space.

We MUST "Go to the Stars," or we Involute--& Perish!

I SINCERELY HOPE that "W" &/or his Cabinet eventually Grasp Their TRUE task in our Current Historical Context!

WE are the Culmination of "Earthlife!"

WE are the BEST CHANCE "EARTHLIFE" has produced (in known Historical Times) to establish TRUE, Self-Sustaining, off-world Colonies!

We have an HONEST SHOT at developing Self-Sustaining Colonies on the Moon & Mars!

ANY "Obstruction" to the above goals is a Ruthless attempt to END "The Human Race!!"

We Expand into Space, or we DIE!

Doc

[Paleo Conservative]

Unlike lots of freeepers, I'm not saying that the manufacturing method should not have been changed, just that any new method had to have equiavlent or better quality than the incumbent method. It's quite obvious that conservative engineering prinicples were not used in changing the procedures.

[brityank]

The foam was never attached correctly from the start. There is no reinforcing mesh embedded or used between adjacent sections. Additionally, no protective impermeable membrane is covering, allowing gaseous liquefaction in the voids against the super cold Hydrogen and Oxygen tanks of the ET.

I posted Bill Harwood's report on bonesmccoy's thread, there is a lot of good info in the preceding 3000 posts there too.

[Malsua]

The fact that enviro-nazis ensured that those Astronauts died is despicable.

When the Shuttle launched and Ice and foam didn't detach from the main tank because of "EVIL" pollution the world was a better place. Columbia died because of green policies. Sickening.

[Doc On The Bay]

No Sh+t Sherlock!!

We have MUCH MORE "on the Boards" than our timid "managers" are willing to let Us Try!!

During the "Moon Launch," our Brightest Minds were allowed to overrule the "Management-Types;" I am Saying that Our Current Status Requires that We, once again, give "Free Rein" to Our "Best & Brightest;" Our Species Needs a Goal external to our current limited expectations!

Doc

[Lancey Howard]

Unlike lots of freeepers, I'm not saying that the manufacturing method should not have been changed, just that any new method had to have equiavlent or better quality than the incumbent method.

According to snopercod, the Challenger and two Titan III's were lost partially due to the replacement of asbestos-bearing putty with zinc chromate putty to seal the booster segments. I imagine this was done to appease the squawking liberal enviro-scumbags who stain their panties when they hear the word "asbestos".

Snopercod also mentioned that the solvents and adhesives used in the booster mating procedures were changed, resulting in O-ring blowby similar to that which brought down the Challenger. Any bets that these changes were also made to appease these same liberal Democrat scumbags?

And then Environmental requirements required removal of freon from the process for spraying the foam insulation onto the tank. NASA admitted that the freon-free application method resulted in foam that initially did not adhere to the tank as well. They clamied that they were able to "strengthen" it, but they never claimed that they got it equal to what it was with the freon-based application. Another kowtow to the liberal Democrat scumbags.

The facts speak for themselves - - the scumbag Democrats and their environmental wacko sponsors killed seven astronauts. It's a shame nobody at NASA had the guts to tell the scumbag Democrats "no".

Now let's see if anybody at NASA or in the Republican Party has the guts to call the scumbags on the carpet for their deadly meddling.

[XBob]

An interesting quote from the main story -

"Bruce Wright of New Orleans, a former Michoud quality control inspector who was laid off in September 2002, ...

... Wright said. "As we know now, the foam adhesion is quite important.'

===

So, before the Colombia fiasco, the quality control inspectors at the tank plant didn't know that it was important that the foam stay on the tank.

Absolutely, friggin, ..... believable !!!!

[Doc On The Bay]

Sorry for the Delay;--"Just So!"

I Believe you are EXACTLY CORRECT!!

Doc