Insulation trouble won't stop Mars launch

CNN ^ | Sunday, July 6, 2003 | Philip Chien

[demlosers]

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- NASA has discovered more problems with a Mars launch rocket's insulation but plans to move forward with Sunday's launch.

Tests revealed some of the thermal insulation had come loose, according to NASA spokesman George Diller.

[yooper]

Onward, upward, ever higher.

[Cicero]

Cork insulation? I wish I could believe that cork is being used because it's the best material available, but I doubt it. More likely it's a matter of having given in to the environmentalists during the clinton era and ended the use of earlier, proven insulating materials.

[Normal4me]

>>>"The launch must take place by July 15. After that date, Earth moves too far in its orbit around the sun for the Delta rocket to make it to Mars.<<<

See? When schedules and safety conflict then we go with schedules. The Techs are out on the pad right now wrapping duct tape around this sucker! =^)

[Normal4me]

They are probably using real cork but with a 'envirosafe' organic waterbased glue. Don't want the off gassing or fumes to endanger the mosquitos in the surrounding swampland ya know..;-)

[boris]

"Cork insulation? I wish I could believe that cork is being used because it's the best material available, but I doubt it."

I don't know. On the Peacekeeper, we studied dozens of materials to protect the external wall of the upper stage from 'shrapnel'; the winner was cork.

Plus, it has the Sammy Sosa Seal of Approval.

--Boris

[RightWhale]

a different material with stronger adhesive characteristics

Would that be what the layman calls glue?

[Cicero]

I'm not knocking cork so much as wondering how much the political management at NASA can be trusted. It's known that they dropped the best insulating foam because it was environmentally incorrect.

My uncle who was a yacht designer built a cruising sailboat around 1935. Among other things she had a flush deck covered with cork sheets glued to the wood, and it was absolutely wonderful. Watertight, durable, great grip for your sneakers. So I agree, cork is certainly good for some purposes.