Columbia investigators focus attention on foam theory
Posted: Wed, Apr 23, 2003, 10:36 AM ET (1436 GMT)
Members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) said Tuesday that they are increasingly certain that a chunk of foam falling from the shuttle's external tank caused the damage that led to the loss of the orbiter. CAIB chairman Harold Gehman said that, after gathering data for 11 weeks, they now think the evidence on hand points to foam striking the leading edge of the left wing during liftoff, damaging panels and/or seals there. That evidence also shows that an object seen on radar floating away from the shuttle one day after launch was most likely a T-seal located between pairs of reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the leading edge. In addition, analysis of an external tank built at around the same time as the one used on Columbia's final flight revealed several dozen defects in the foam, primarily air pockets, that could make it easy for the foam to fall off during flight. The CAIB plans to continue its work into the summer, although Gehman said the work will shift from gathering evidence to analyzing what happened and making recommendations. The CAIB's final report will be released by the time Congress recesses for the summer in late July.
Members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) said Tuesday that they are increasingly certain that a chunk of foam falling from the shuttle's external tank caused the damage that led to the loss of the orbiter. CAIB chairman Harold Gehman said that, after gathering data for 11 weeks, they now think the evidence on hand points to foam striking the leading edge of the left wing during liftoff, damaging panels and/or seals there. That evidence also shows that an object seen on radar floating away from the shuttle one day after launch was most likely a T-seal located between pairs of reinforced carbon-carbon panels on the leading edge. In addition, analysis of an external tank built at around the same time as the one used on Columbia's final flight revealed several dozen defects in the foam, primarily air pockets, that could make it easy for the foam to fall off during flight. The CAIB plans to continue its work into the summer, although Gehman said the work will shift from gathering evidence to analyzing what happened and making recommendations. The CAIB's final report will be released by the time Congress recesses for the summer in late July.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Report outlines cost growth in canceled NASA exploration programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:14 AM ET (1514 GMT) Perseverance Mars rover finds more potential biosignatures
Posted: Sat, Jun 27 11:12 AM ET (1512 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, July 2
President Meloni receives ESA astronaut Parmitano
Government of Italy — 3:05 am ET (0705 GMT) China-Europe Earth observation cooperation moves toward greater complementarity: ESA official
Xinhua — 3:04 am ET (0704 GMT) Launch Date Confirmed for Seven GRUS-3 Earth Observation Microsatellites
Axelspace — 3:03 am ET (0703 GMT) Blue Origin Doubles Down On Return To Flight This Year
Aviation Week — 3:00 am ET (0700 GMT) The SpaceX IPO tells one story. Here is the more important one.
Space News — 2:58 am ET (0658 GMT) |
