Atomic Systems

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2716369.stm

Very sad incident.

I think ours prayers will be with their familys.

yes ive just heard it on the news very sad wonder what caused it.

What is it with the world and bad news nowdays eh?

Possible war, train crash, shuttle breaking up... What next?

I think this has been a day that no one will ever forget, and my prayers are with the family of the astronaughts

Unfortunatly, nothing is perfect. It's been a long time since the last shuttle incident, (86?) and with a high risk activity such as space travel, accidents are bound to happen.

I agree that it's sad, and my thoughts are there for the families, but i hope that this will not be dominating our news channels for the next few weeks.

I Agree With The Above, Its Really Going To Hit Everybody Tomorrow, With The Papers.

Tepic wrote:What is it with the world and bad news nowdays eh?

Possible war, train crash, shuttle breaking up... What next?

Don't Ask!!! Please don't say thing's like that.

My though's are with the friend's and Families of the Astronaught's.

I would like to know what Caused the Accident so If it's on the News for the Next few day's I don't mind.

They rekon debry from one of the tanks hit it on take off and damaged one of those asbestos tiles, so when it reenterd the metal airframe started melting, Or a fuel tank blew up, Thats what the Sunday Times said today (02,02,03)

I agree with all the sentiments above. At least we can be thankful that this is only the third NASA disaster involving loss of life.

Only the 3rd high-profile one

There have been many many more during the 50s & 60s when they were testing......

I think one of the problems is that, despite us all knowing in the back of our minds how dangerous travelling into space is, we all get into a bit of a blase attitude to it. If you stop and think, there can't be many more hostile environments for humans than space and the journey up there and then back again.

Also, doesn't anyone think how incredible it is that Columbia was travelling at something like 12,500 mph?

I think it is almost inevitable that there are going to be accidents. Also, in a way, it's a testimony to an open society that there has been this coverage. For example, when the Chinese start sending people into space, can you imagine the same openness from their authorities if, God forbid, they ever experienced the same sort of accidents?

Robbie S.

Hymek wrote:They rekon debry from one of the tanks hit it on take off and damaged one of those asbestos tiles, so when it reenterd the metal airframe started melting, Or a fuel tank blew up, Thats what the Sunday Times said today (02,02,03)

I knew there had been a piece of Insulation off one of the tank's had broken free during the Take off, just didn't want to Mention it.

It was mentioned that the Ceramic Tile's which prevent the shuttle from Melting got cracked as the debris fell, so untill the shuttle started re-entry they would not have know there was a problem.

Thought I would jump in here since I lecture Space camps on things to do with this.

The tiles look and feel like a very fine polystryrene, they are durable to knocks and bangs, you can hold one in your hand and run a blow otrch one side whilst holding the other, a spin off of this is your fake coal in your gas fire.

What can ahppen is a tile can get dinged which if a sufficient impact is felt can cause the tile to break free exopsing the aluminium skin of the airframe beneath.

If on re- entry the heat melts the skin beneath it causes other tiles to break free then we are talking catastrophe.

Nasa this end are talking about this kind of scenario, trouble is had they even known about this there would have been nothing they could have done even if discovered after they had got into orbit.

I have an Underside tile at home

I do know a few in the space programme including a few of the astronauts, and although they accept the risks of what they do all are quite devastated at the loss of the ship and crew.

Tim

Yes,as I posted on other forums,this is an inherent flaw in the design of the shuttle.There is another one,once the boosters ignite,you're committed to ride the thing come what may.
The second is damage to the tiles,and you're on a one way ticket if damage occurs at liftoff,as you've no option but to decend at some time to brave re-entry or burn up.

Some tiles were missing on the very first shuttle mission,(above the engine pods),and I remember well the media discussion of whether it would survive re-entry.It did,but losing tiles on the underside is a more serious matter as it's that surface that takes the maximum heat on re-entry.

The fuel tank,from which the insulation fell off,has had changes from the original design.It started off being painted white.Then it was realised that the weight of the paint coating added to the initial take off payload.Thus future tanks were left unpainted(natural rust)brown.Being brown encouraged ice to build up on the skin of the tank,so the orange coloured foam insulation was applied on later flights,this still being lighter than a painted shell.Ice was considered a danger to the tiles if it was shed on launching,hence the insulation.However it seems,from this accident,that the foam now causes a similar effect if shed during liftoff.

Perhaps they should have stuck with the original painted white skin?

I only found out sunday morning i must admit i was shocked and my heart goes outr to the families. If I may say something about this disaster, it serve NASA right for using something thats 23 years old this year.