Final Radio Transmission From Space Shuttle

Drudge | 2-1-03 | Joe Hadenuf

[Joe Hadenuf]

Final radio transmission between Columbia and Mission Control:

Mission Control: 'Columbia, Houston we see your tire pressure messages and we did not copy your last.'

Columbia: 'Roger, uh, ...' (transmission breaks off after the crew member starts to stay a word beginning with the sound 'buh.')

Burn through??

[X-FID]

I'm told that something hit the left wing, during takeoff. Anyone know about this?

I really believe this was the cause, but once lift-off occurs they can't turn back, and they continued the mission, and completed it with the knowledge that there may be a problem on re-entry.

Foam insulation from the large fuel tank hit the LEFT wing during takeoff. So far, everything points to the LEFT wing having problems during the break-up.

[supercat]

I really believe this was the cause, but once lift-off occurs they can't turn back, and they continued the mission, and completed it with the knowledge that there may be a problem on re-entry.

True, they may have been in an impossible situation when they took off. On the other hand, I find myself wondering what would have happened if they'd been aware of it and had crews in space and on the ground working heroically to formulate a solution. After all, the Apollo 13 astronauts were doomed and yet which a suitable combination of luck, teamwork, and miracles they all survived.

[eabinga]

The shuttle tires are filled with nitrogen and pressurized to 315psi. At that kind of pressure, they are essentially solid.

I would have guessed around the 200-250 psi range filled with nitrogen.

At those pressures, the 15 lbs of atmospheric pressure wont bother the tire in space if it is exposed to a vaccum.

The car tire served as an example, that you could even take a car tire to space without it bursting.

[RightWhale]

they continued the mission, and completed it with the knowledge that there may be a problem on re-entry.

Yeah, they probably knew. Those aboard who figured it out, perhaps days before re-entry, wouldn't talk about it. Nothing can be done about it, so just do your job.

There's plenty of people, especially Americans, who would have flown the mission against the odds anyway.

[Sonar5]

A Memorial I did this morning in Photoshop.

I am using this for my desktop. Feel free to use it or post
it anywhere you like.

The Background was taken by Digital Camera from this
shuttle mission.

The rest of the pics are from Nasa's website.

There is a larger version on my website here:

http://home.attbi.com/~Sonar5/Shuttle/memorial-sts-107.jpg


Regards,
Joe

[RightWhale]

That's good. Look at the group photo of the astronauts, and the one of the crew of the Challenger, and at the crew of the Apollo. And the others. Remember that they all knew the odds. And remember that they expect us to continue on and eventually conquer outer space.

[ChemistCat]

I'm not sure that is right simply because they would not have flown a troubled shuttle over so many population centers; they would have planned to land at Edwards and cut substantially the risk to civilians if they'd had a special reason to worry. They do that for even trivial reasons, though it is much more expensive to land in California and have to transport the shuttle east again.

It truly is a wonder that we don't have deaths on the ground, you know.

[Optimist]

Perhaps they are not the stars,
but rather openings in heaven
where the love of our
lost ones pours through
and shines down upon us
to let us know
they are happy.

Eskimo Legend

[Poohbah]

Hydrazine fumes can knock you unconscious in a few seconds, and kill you in a few minutes thereafter.

Bad s**t.