NASA Press Conference LIVE THREAD

Fox, CNN, networks, NASA TV | February 2, 2003 | NASA

[snopercod]

Any time now...

[Cboldt]

If you have the same tile and insulation problem for 5 years and fail to fix it, that is incompetence.

Although if your into repeating the same thing and expecting different results, they have a room for you at Betheseda.

Umm, not sure if you meant to tie those two thoughts together. This was at least the second launch with shedding foam, and IIRC, was about the ninth with shedding foam. All previous flights that experienced shedding foam at liftoff returned without burning up on re-entry, so perhaps the mission managers were into repeating the same thing, and getting the same result.

The degree of damage is assessed, obviously with care, after each flight. While there was a desire to reduce the damage to the tiles, the concern and motivation was turnaround (I have heard that at least twice, and assume it means time/cost to make ready for next flight) and not loss of vehicle.

[HairOfTheDog]

[giggle]

I wish Jael got it... It is too hard to explain without ruining it!

[John Jamieson]

I was actually involved in testing of a design I proposed back in the late 70's to put 100 50kilowatt searchlights around the pad to warm a black painted ET to prevent ice. We tested it at Egland AFB and it worked, but was never installed.

Vandenburg was to use two jet engines firing up between the ET and orbiter. But Vandenburg launches (The Blue Shuttle) were cancelled after Challenger.

STS 87 was after my time, but it must have been a cold, humid day to produce that much ice. The hard surface of the tile is barely thicker than paint and can be damaged by a quarter dropped from 2 feet. Glancing blows are far more forgiving.

[TLBSHOW]

And I thought it was us In there. BTTT

[Amelia]

Thanks!

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I'm new

Welcome home!

[hoosierham]

Wouldn't lighter weight objects be more likely to float further in the air ?

[John Jamieson]

Throw a leaf and a rock.

[WFTR]

If you have the same tile and insulation problem for 5 years and fail to fix it, that is incompetence.

Technically, I think it's called willful negligence.

WFTR
Bill

[SuziQ]

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SHUTTLE_INVESTIGATION?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME
Above is an article in the Wash. Times. "Just before it disintegrated, space shuttle Columbia experienced an abnormal rise in temperature and wind resistance that forced the craft's automatic pilot to make rapid changes to its flight path - possible evidence that some heat-protection tiles were missing or damaged, NASA said Sunday."

I had read very early on that the shuttle had been jinking, and the person who mentioned it surmised that the pilot may have been trying to slow the craft for the landing. According to the above article, it was the automatic pilot that was doing that. Could be that the torque involved in those manuevers in addition to whatever was causing the sudden rise in temperature contributed to the break-up.

[Doohickey]

Sonar Technician, Submarines...
But, I think Space Transportation System would be more apropos to this topic.

[John Jamieson]

Very missleading article. The computer corrections were small, but larger than seen before, indicating a drag problem on the left side.

The orbiter also was undergoing a normal side to side motion to scrub off speed. This guy has the two confused.

[John Jamieson]

Actually the tile problems are over 22 years old.

The choices are:

1. To replace them with something else (cept their isn't anything else).

2. Carefully manage their known issues (which we have done for 113 flights)

3. Stop flying (any other vehicle would have to use similar tiles)

There is NO negligence here. 17 loses in 40 years is a good record. NASCAR can't match it.

[clamboat]

Oh, another good question: Why were military satellites or telescopes not used to look at the bottom of the orbiter if there was a question regarding tile damage?

Answer: they don't have enough resolution to see anything.

He said more than that at the end of his answer. He also said that there was nothing they could have done even if they saw damage, so there was no point in looking. Man, that's chilling. They can't repair the underside, and couldn't even do a spacwalk (on this misson) to see the bottom of the shuttle while in space.

[OldFriend]

Ramtek just arrived here from DU

[OldFriend]

Oh noooooooooooo........you take seriously anything a caller to Coast to Coast reports............they're still hiding in their caves due to catastrohic failures due to Y2K

[clamboat]

Spacewalks are not the piece of cake they appear to be in Bruce Willis movies. I find it completely plausible that a space walk would probably cause more damage to the tiles than any damage they would have been preparing.

This mission was in no way prepared for a spacewalk anywhere outside of the cargo bay. I would guess that the necessary equipment was simply not available for them to get all the way around to the bottom of the shuttle.

Second point is, why would they want to? What could they have possibly done? Nothing, that's what. It's not like they have spare tiles they can just pop into place. If it was indeed a problem with damaged tiles, their fate was sealed as soon as they left the launch pad.

[PhiKapMom]

I love it -- Value Jet! I would have cracked up if I had seen that data dump!

The man is amazing! I am so glad you warned me! This makes it even better!

[OldFriend]

The remains have NOT been identified. They are simply stating that they have remains from all seven. There have been reports of body parts in various locations. I doubt there was a single complete set of remains in any one place. Identification is yet to be made, and then of course, there will be all kinds of testing done. The families have a while to wait. I pray for them.

[OldFriend]

Jewish law requires burying before sundown on the day of death. Sadly, this will not occur. More sadness for his family. His dad was so distraught.......