Re: IEEE SPECTRUM magazine: Apollo 13, We Have a Solution

>>From rk:
> Stuf4 wrote:
>
> >>From Sy Liebergot:
> >> >
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/wonews/apr05/0405napola.html
> >
> >> Jim O is a dear and respected friend and I appreciate him posting
the
> >> IEEE Spectrum story. It's one of the rare times that the LM Flight
> >> Controllers have some of their stories told. IMHO I believe
Stephen
> >> Cass did a wonderful job squeezing this story down to the imposed
> >> 3,000 word limit.
> >
> > I would be very interested to hear how you feel about that
article's
> > repeated use of the word "explosion".
> >
> > I have a hunch that Balok would have objected.
>
> I have a hunch that Cortright would not have objected.

Balok operated his spaceship singlehandedly. In such a situation it is
critical to distinguish between an explosion occuring within your
vessel versus a less catastrophic type of failure occurring.

Cortright faced a situation where many people were involved. Certain
members of that team were responsible for knowing the designed-in
failure modes of the O2 tank, among other systems. Having thoroughly
studied the matter, Cortright's folks went on record regarding the
nature of that failure. If Cortright himself "would not have
objected", we need not rely on any hunches. We have that record
readily available for all to examine.

In my own examination, I have yet to find his consent to the
unconditional view that the tank exploded.


~ CT

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