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Now It Can Be Told - Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster Investigation
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[quote:Anonymous Coward 76338311:MV80MDAzODM1XzcyNDc0ODQ2XzEyRjFFNzg2] [quote:Dukster:MV80MDAzODM1XzcyNDc0Nzg3X0MyMUZERjIx] [quote:darth:MV80MDAzODM1XzcyNDc0Njg4XzUzNjJBODg3] OK, I watched enough. I am a retired aerospace engineer. I worked most of my career in Downey, CA at the company that was the prime contractor for the Shuttle. I was proud of Rocco Petrone, our Division General Manager, when I found out that he told NASA that morning of the launch, "IT IS A BIG MISTAKE TO LAUNCH THE BIRD AT 25F WHEN THERE ARE 6 FOOT ICICLES HANGING OFF OF IT!" To imagine Rocco, he was West Point Class of 1939, a football player, and hard as nails. Imagine the Godfather but in better physical condition, a very intimidating man. I, like everyone else, believed the accident commission findings that the O rings failed allowing the burn through. Then, in 1999, I met an engineer who worked for United Technologies at the time of the accident. When he heard that the commission would report that the O rings were at fault, he went to Rogers, the head of the Commission. He explained that on a previous launch, one of the SRBs (Solid Rocket Boosters) had a hard landing in the Atlantic. They disassembled the SRB and Thiokol refurbished the sections in Utah. When they tried to reassemble the SRB sections, one was bent out of round. IIRC, the segments are held together by 1" bolts on 4" centers. An engineer suggested plugging the holes that did not line up and drilling NEW holes in the middle for the bolts. The NASA Supervisor got a $10,000 award for saving money by not scrapping the damaged SRB segment. They did NOT perform a structural analysis of the weakened joint. Upon pressurization of the SRB, that section ripped apart like a perforated sheet of paper. You can see the puff of smoke on the launch video from the tear. The flame hit the attach assembly and weakened it like a cutting torch. They hit a wind shear and the SRB broke off. The engineer reporting the new holes was told, "But we already had a press conference blaming the O rings. NASA would lose credibility if we change our findings. Dr. Feynman and other notables would be embarrassed". The story did not change. YES, we knew that the astronauts were alive but badly injured until they hit the ocean at 600 MPH. The Crew Cabin on the Shuttle was built like a brick shithouse, a marvelous tribute to the welders and craftsmen of the United Auto Workers (yep, they built the Shuttle in Downey). The fuel from the External Tank detonated like a small nuke and the Crew Cabin survived intact. I also know why we lost Shuttle Columbia. I was in the meeting when we told NASA that the leading edge of the wing on Columbia had become dangerously weak, so weak you could punch a hole in it with your finger. As far as I know, it was not replaced because the money in the budget was not there. The ice that hit the wing and knocked a hole in it was a well known danger. What is not generally known is that NASA started using an inferior adhesive to hold the foam on the External Tank. The original, excellent adhesive used fluorocarbons and someone at the EPA thought it would destroy the ozone layer. So, what have we learned? NEVER trust the government or MSM. And the EPA is a bunch of idiot greens. BTW, the drawings showing the modified SRB were deep sixed immediately. No evidence. No one talked. [/quote] wow this is disturbing. i worked at hamilton standard when it was a part of utc. i never heard anyone question the o-ring theory. [/quote] And this right here is what makes GLP priceless and why I will always keep coming back hoping for the days of old and just had a sweet taste of nostalgia [/quote]
Original Message
NASA LIARS & SCUMBAGS
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