Columbia data recorder recovered
Posted: Thu, Mar 20, 2003, 10:41 AM ET (1541 GMT)
Searchers have found a data recorder from the shuttle Columbia that could provide key data about the shuttle in its final minutes. The orbital experiments recorder (OEX) was found in relatively good condition near Hemphill, Texas, by teams looking for debris from the shuttle. Investigators do not yet know if any data can be salvaged from the recorder. If it can, it could offer critical information about the shuttle during reentry. The OEX is designed to record conditions such as temperature, vibration, and pressure during reentry. Columbia is the only shuttle with an OEX, which was installed on the orbiter to provide engineers with insights about reentry conditions during the early shuttle flights. In a related story, NASA administrator Sean O’Keefe told a meeting of the NASA Advisory Council at the Stennis Space Center that a single definitive cause for the shuttle accident may never be found, given limited information. The Associated Press reported that he said it would most likely be a combination of hardware problems, failures of processes and procedures, and bad judgment calls.
Searchers have found a data recorder from the shuttle Columbia that could provide key data about the shuttle in its final minutes. The orbital experiments recorder (OEX) was found in relatively good condition near Hemphill, Texas, by teams looking for debris from the shuttle. Investigators do not yet know if any data can be salvaged from the recorder. If it can, it could offer critical information about the shuttle during reentry. The OEX is designed to record conditions such as temperature, vibration, and pressure during reentry. Columbia is the only shuttle with an OEX, which was installed on the orbiter to provide engineers with insights about reentry conditions during the early shuttle flights. In a related story, NASA administrator Sean O’Keefe told a meeting of the NASA Advisory Council at the Stennis Space Center that a single definitive cause for the shuttle accident may never be found, given limited information. The Associated Press reported that he said it would most likely be a combination of hardware problems, failures of processes and procedures, and bad judgment calls.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, December 19
$3 billion later, here's how Elon Musk and SpaceX changed this corner of Texas.
USA Today — 6:52 am ET (1152 GMT) U.S. Space Force Plans Moves To Avoid On-Orbit Surprise In 2025
Aviation Week — 6:52 am ET (1152 GMT) Orion Space Solutions recognized with Space Force Association Innovation Award for advancing spacepower and national security
PR Newswire — 6:51 am ET (1151 GMT) SpaceX gets green light for 7th Starship mission
TechCrunch — 6:50 am ET (1150 GMT) Astronauts who flew to space aboard Starliner face additional delay
CNN — 6:47 am ET (1147 GMT) |
