NASA: no way to save Columbia during reentry
Posted: Fri, May 2, 2003, 7:48 PM ET (2348 GMT)
An internal NASA report prepared after the Columbia accident and released this week concluded that there was no way to alter the reentry of the shuttle in such a way that would have allowed the crew to survive. The study, performed as part of an internal NASA review and not part of the independent investigation, looked at whether jettisoning equipment from the shuttle, such as the Spacehab module in its cargo bay, or cooling its left wing prior to reentry could have prevented the shuttle from breaking apart during reentry. Those techniques could have been used if NASA had known while Columbia was still in orbit that the shuttle's wing had been damaged during liftoff. Under the best-case scenario, however, engineers found that they could reduce the heating on the left wing by seven percent, too little to make a difference.
An internal NASA report prepared after the Columbia accident and released this week concluded that there was no way to alter the reentry of the shuttle in such a way that would have allowed the crew to survive. The study, performed as part of an internal NASA review and not part of the independent investigation, looked at whether jettisoning equipment from the shuttle, such as the Spacehab module in its cargo bay, or cooling its left wing prior to reentry could have prevented the shuttle from breaking apart during reentry. Those techniques could have been used if NASA had known while Columbia was still in orbit that the shuttle's wing had been damaged during liftoff. Under the best-case scenario, however, engineers found that they could reduce the heating on the left wing by seven percent, too little to make a difference.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, June 30
Starlink subscriptions drops 11% in Kenya as Safaricom 5G routers win over users
Techcabal — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Citizens file appeal against 40 Starlink satellite antennae planned in Swiss village
Swissinfo — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Can Starlink stay ahead in satellite internet?
NPR — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Blue Origin successfully launches latest human flight from West Texas
KTSM-TV El Paso — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Blue Origin N-S 33 lifts off
KVIA-TV El Paso, TX — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) |
