Replies

Two things keep swimming in my mind about our 3 space disasters over 35 years now.

1. All occurred around late January (Apollo 7- Jan 27, 1967, Challenger-Jan 28, 1986, Columbia 2/1/2003). January is Florida’s coldest month. Most people do feel that cold weather was a contributing factor to Challenger. Could cold weather have also been a factor in the other two disasters?

2. Challenger and Columbia both involved Max Q, That period of time when air density times velocity squared is a maximum. Max Q at liftoff is T-plus 61 seconds, Challenger disintergrated at T-plus 73 seconds. The debris fell out Columbia a T-plus 82 seconds. Max Q during reentry is at mach 18.03, contact with the Columbia was lost at mach 18. Since Max Q is the highest aerodynamic load on the Shuttle, The problems are occurring right near the design limits of the vehicle, not just random failures.

Note: there was a made for TV movie called Max Q: An amazing adrenaline-pumping space adventure in the tradition of APOLLO 13, Max Q: Emergency Landing is another special effects-packed spectacular from the hit-making producer of ARMAGEDDON, THE ROCK and TOP GUN, Jerry Bruckheimer! When disaster strikes, a once routine Space Shuttle mission becomes NASA’s worst nightmare! A violent explosion has rocked the shuttle ENDERVOUR, leaving Commander Clay Jarvis (Bill Campbell - The Rocketeer, The Night We Never Met) and his crew (including Ned Vaughn - Apollo 13, Courage Under Fire - and Geoffrey Blake - Contact, Mighty Joe Young) floating perilously in space! With Mission Control unable to implement a feasible solution - and vital resources dwindling aboard the disabled spacecraft - the stranded astronauts face the ultimate test of skill, courage and determination in a heart-stopping bid to make it home alive!