Space Shuttle Challenger Anniversary
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, in which the mission’s seven crew members were killed following the shuttle broke apart more than the Atlantic Ocean 73 seconds into the flight.
Challenger Disaster – Based on the Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, climate conditions were likely one of the elements that contributed towards the incident.
STS-51-L was the 25th American Space Shuttle Program flight. It was also the first mission to have a civilian on board, American teacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe.
The Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident stated the cause of the loss was a failure of the right Solid Rocket Booster, or SRB. SRBs are positioned to the right and left of the shuttle to help thrust the orbiter into space.
Much more particularly, a seal designed to stop gasses from leaking throughout liftoff failed. This seal is an O-ring made of a type of rubber that is designed to keep a joint in the booster sealed.
Once the seal failed, hot gas began to leak from it, which could be seen in video footage of the launch.
As the shuttle ascended within the atmosphere, it encountered expected high-altitude wind shear conditions that lasted for about 30 seconds of the flight. These wind shear conditions had been sensed and countered by the navigation, control and guidance systems.
Nevertheless, the leak led to an eventual structural failure of the external tank. When the tank failed, the orbiter broke up. Contrary to well-liked belief, the shuttle didn’t explode, but rather disintegrated due to aerodynamics.
The commission decided in its findings that a faulty design “unacceptably sensitive to numerous factors” was to blame. These factors included the materials used, physical dimensions, and the temperature conditions.
Based on the report, “The climate was forecast to be clear and cold, with temperatures dropping into the low 20s overnight.”
Melbourne, Fla., situated about 35 miles from Cape Canaveral, recorded a record low temperature of 26 degrees; the regular low on Jan. 28 is 50 degrees.
Likewise, Orlando also had a record low of 26 degrees that morning. Each records nonetheless stand, and each locations broke their record lows the following morning also.
As a outcome of the cold, gusty winds, ice accumulated on the launch pad area overnight. The ice was eliminated by crews, and several ice checks took location prior to launch.
According to the report, the air temperature in the time of launch, 11:38 a.m. EST, was 36 degrees. This temperature was 15 degrees colder than any previous launch.
A written recommendation existed advising against a launch at temperatures beneath 53 degrees for fear of O-ring and joint failure, according to the report, but those in charge of generating the choice to launch were not aware of it.
The report continues, “If the decision-makers had recognized all of the facts, it’s extremely unlikely that they would have made the decision to launch 51-L on Jan. 28, 1986.”
A house video recording of the incident from a backyard in central Florida shows covered bushes, most likely done to stop frost damage.
“That’s a historical second we got on tape, I guess,” Jack Moss, who was filming, stated just prior to he turned the camera off.
Tags: Challenger, Challenger Disaster, Challenger Explosion, Christa Mcauliffe, Space Shuttle
