Re: MSNBC (Oberg) - Deadly space lessons go unheeded

From: Joe D. (joe_at_nospam.invalid)
Date: 01/28/05 

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 09:42:09 -0600

"Jeff Findley" <jeff.findley@ugs.nojunk.com> wrote in message
news:AraKd.20855$tD3.7293@fe37.usenetserver.com...
>
> ....
> When the film from the Columbia launch showed a possible impact on the
> RCC,
> the engineers were again stuck in a situation where the flight was going
> to
> be run as planned unless they could prove that there was a problem with
> the
> TPS....

Since the Crater program indicated possible severe tile damage
over a wide area, it's unclear how the conclusion "safe return indicated"
was reached.

The big, bold-letter heading in the Boeing report said "Crater Equations
Show Significant Tile Damage".

In at least one scenario, the Crater output clearly showed damage
of 4.7 inches deep (tile was only 2.6-2.8 inches deep), over a wide area.

As we now know, it was the RCC that was damaged, but at that time
the exact impact point wasn't known, just the approximate region.
For all they knew then, it could have been the tiles, and Crater
was (in Boeing's words) the "official evaluation tool".

How the "safe return indicated" conclusion was reached when the
data itself in the Boeing reported indicated otherwise has never
been adequately explained.

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/2203main_COL_debris_boeing_030123.pdf

-- Joe D.