Space shuttle Columbia lost on re-entry
02 January 2003, 08:48 PM
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I hate to do this but super_si is right and Bravo20S you are not 
As si says, only the bottom of the shuttle (well actually its called an Orbiter) is heat shielded for re-entry. The rest of the orbiter has heat shielding but not enough to shield it from the extreme heat generated in re-entry.
Hence why you see the orbiter make re-entry at a specific angle and the bottom of it glows red hot.
Its amazing stuff. Looks like polysterene/firelighters and you can heat it bright red with a blowtorch then 3 seconds later pick it up with ur bare hands and it feels cool.
Simon.
[Edited by P1Fanatic - 2/1/2003 8:52:24 PM]
As si says, only the bottom of the shuttle (well actually its called an Orbiter) is heat shielded for re-entry. The rest of the orbiter has heat shielding but not enough to shield it from the extreme heat generated in re-entry.
Hence why you see the orbiter make re-entry at a specific angle and the bottom of it glows red hot.
Its amazing stuff. Looks like polysterene/firelighters and you can heat it bright red with a blowtorch then 3 seconds later pick it up with ur bare hands and it feels cool.
Simon.
[Edited by P1Fanatic - 2/1/2003 8:52:24 PM]
02 January 2003, 08:51 PM
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P1 thats what I was getting at, the whole thing is heat shielded. I didn't think the nose cone and belly were black just for pretty colour scheming! 
I know full well they are more heat resistant by a long way but the rest of the shuttle is still heat shielded.
Edited to say that the shuttle would never make it on to its back during re-entry into the atmosphere as the change in degree as soon as it started to go to one side would cause it to start breaking up.
[Edited by ************** - 2/1/2003 8:54:46 PM]
I know full well they are more heat resistant by a long way but the rest of the shuttle is still heat shielded.
Edited to say that the shuttle would never make it on to its back during re-entry into the atmosphere as the change in degree as soon as it started to go to one side would cause it to start breaking up.
[Edited by ************** - 2/1/2003 8:54:46 PM]
02 January 2003, 10:53 PM
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Yup, it happen right in my backyard!
Debris is liter thru out the Western section State of Texas and Eastern Louisiana.
A very sad day for us Yanks!
Weather radar images of the debris field.
A tile from the shuttle landed to earth.
[Edited by dazz1 - 2/1/2003 10:56:06 PM]
Debris is liter thru out the Western section State of Texas and Eastern Louisiana.
A very sad day for us Yanks!
Weather radar images of the debris field.
A tile from the shuttle landed to earth.
[Edited by dazz1 - 2/1/2003 10:56:06 PM]
01 February 2003, 07:13 PM
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The US space shuttle Columbia has broken up soon after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and all seven crew aboard are presumed dead.
200,000 ft and 12,500mph - what a disaster
the pictures are amazing 
01 February 2003, 07:26 PM
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Apparently they had ben in re-entry for 40 mins before it broke up. There was some minor damage to one of the wings. Wonder if it was to do with that?
Tis very sad
Tis very sad
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01 February 2003, 07:35 PM
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I heard that one of the heat shields may have come loose causing the temperature inside the shuttle to rise by more than a couple of hundred degress during the re-entry causing the explosion and fireball. They would have literally melted in those sort of conditions and there would have been bu66er all they could have done about it.
Also heard though that it might have been one of the fins that broke off causing control to be lost fairly rapidly.
There will be many theories I should imagine over the next few days but until they recover enough wreckage no one will really know I suppose apart from NASA.
One thing that hasn't been publicised was the last moments of conversation with ground control. That has yet to come out so I think NASA no more than they are letting on.
These are very brave people to undertake this job and although they know the risks involved, the safety record is impecable and you just wouldn't expect this to happen ever.
in those sort of conditions and there would have been bu66er all they could have done about it. Also heard though that it might have been one of the fins that broke off causing control to be lost fairly rapidly.
There will be many theories I should imagine over the next few days but until they recover enough wreckage no one will really know I suppose apart from NASA.
One thing that hasn't been publicised was the last moments of conversation with ground control. That has yet to come out so I think NASA no more than they are letting on.
These are very brave people to undertake this job and although they know the risks involved, the safety record is impecable and you just wouldn't expect this to happen ever.
01 February 2003, 07:53 PM
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Look at the imagery and the way there is certain blips in the vapour trail, as if its tumbling outta control. Looks like it rolled. Then obviously that top isnt heat shielded then it all discintegrated..........
01 February 2003, 07:55 PM
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Well, yea, like a glass cockpit aircraft, I would imagine you can override he systems in an emergency. Perhaps some kind of systems failure meant that they had to take manual control. Presumably the voice recordings will reflect this.
01 February 2003, 07:57 PM
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One thing that hasn't been publicised was the last moments of conversation with ground control. That has yet to come out so I think NASA no more than they are letting on.
Hats off to bush, when he's not trying to start WW3 he actually made a good speech.
I really hope this does'nt plan into the hands of those who would want to stop manned spaceflight.
Just imagine where we'd be if Columbus,Magellen or Cook decided to turn around and stay home because, every so often a ship sank.
If I were Dubya I would announce that it was my intention to put a man on mars within 10 years. That would be a fitting tribute to the brave crew of Columbia, Challenger, Apollo 1 and that Soviet rocket that blew up on Launch.
To lose only 20 odd people in 42 years of manned space flight. That's one heck of a safety record.
It's very sad and tragic for the poor families they leave behind, but history will remember them as true pioneers of the last big frontier we face.
01 February 2003, 08:00 PM
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The final radio transmission between Mission Control and the shuttle gave no indication of a catastrophic failure.
Mission Control radioed: ``Columbia, Houston, we see your tire pressure messages and we did not copy your last.'' Columbia's responds: ``Roger, uh ...''
Then the transmission breaks off.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...a-news-florida
Mission Control radioed: ``Columbia, Houston, we see your tire pressure messages and we did not copy your last.'' Columbia's responds: ``Roger, uh ...''
Then the transmission breaks off.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...a-news-florida
01 February 2003, 08:02 PM
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News 24 were saying that the TV feed they had from NASA was lacking audio half an hour before the disaster so I suspect that the crew knew that there was something wrong?
Lets hope that the Americans don't give up on space flight, after all, when that asteroid heads our way we may have a slight chance of zapping it and not going the way of the dinosaurs some day, gulp!
:-(
Mike
Lets hope that the Americans don't give up on space flight, after all, when that asteroid heads our way we may have a slight chance of zapping it and not going the way of the dinosaurs some day, gulp!
:-(
Mike
01 February 2003, 08:05 PM
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Crew Picture.
[img]
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/photo/2003-02/6457506.jpg[/img]
The space shuttle Columbia crew, from left, mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, payload commander Michael Anderson, pilot William McCool, commander Rick Husband, mission specialists Laurel Clark and David Brown and Israeli asrtronaut payload specialist Ilan Ramon pose for a picture at the Kennedy Space Center landing strip in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
[img]
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/photo/2003-02/6457506.jpg[/img]
The space shuttle Columbia crew, from left, mission specialist Kalpana Chawla, payload commander Michael Anderson, pilot William McCool, commander Rick Husband, mission specialists Laurel Clark and David Brown and Israeli asrtronaut payload specialist Ilan Ramon pose for a picture at the Kennedy Space Center landing strip in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
01 February 2003, 08:09 PM
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Super_Si whatever you say pal, coming from someone who thinks you can barrel role a space shuttle doing 12,500 miles an hour 
I think they may want to re-evaluate that conclusion
On Jan. 16, shortly after Columbia lifted off, a piece of insulating foam on its external fuel tank came off and was believed to have hit the left wing of the shuttle. Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.
01 February 2003, 08:12 PM
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No, if you read i think it lost control barrel rolled which in turn ment to top got totally ripped appart due to the fact it doesnt have the protective tiling system . for the 2nd time. Ive followed the space shuttle for years mate, i know 100% only the bottom and nose cone are protected.
Anyway Here for press now
Si
for the 2nd time. Ive followed the space shuttle for years mate, i know 100% only the bottom and nose cone are protected.Anyway Here for press now
Si
01 February 2003, 08:18 PM
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Interesting picture and text....
This CNN frame grab taken the morning of the flight shows the space shuttle Columbia launch with a ring around the area where it is believed a piece of debris broke off during launch. NASA issued a warning to Texas residents not to touch possible debris from the Columbia, which disappeared from the US space agency's monitors with seven astronauts on board, minutes before its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. NASA warned that the debris is highly toxic.
This CNN frame grab taken the morning of the flight shows the space shuttle Columbia launch with a ring around the area where it is believed a piece of debris broke off during launch. NASA issued a warning to Texas residents not to touch possible debris from the Columbia, which disappeared from the US space agency's monitors with seven astronauts on board, minutes before its scheduled landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. NASA warned that the debris is highly toxic.
01 February 2003, 08:19 PM
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As you can see perfectly illustrated
the belly/nose cone are covered in the highly rated to extreme temperatures on re-entry phase. The black tilling system prevents the shuttle burning on Entry. In the even of "belly up"/" Roll" the white cargo bay would be expose which is a very thin layer and not very heat resistant at the 1000degs + that’s exposed at 200,000 high and 12,000mph. It'd burn like hell matey, which is my point.
Si
[Edited by super_si - 2/1/2003 8:21:40 PM]
[Edited by super_si - 2/1/2003 8:27:26 PM]
01 February 2003, 08:21 PM
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It always has being toxic, thats why the blokes with suits always open the hatch after touch down at KSC. They turn up in them bio suits and are decontaminated afterwards + also exposed to god knows that up there.
Si
Si
01 February 2003, 08:24 PM
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super_si
Please don't take this in the wrong way but if you would spend a little more time typing and maybe editing your replies it would (for sure) help convey the message you intend.
Please don't take this in the wrong way but if you would spend a little more time typing and maybe editing your replies it would (for sure) help convey the message you intend.
01 February 2003, 08:51 PM
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Im the daddy
nar but im fascinated with space flight always have being very interesting.
Sounds like the whole left side the orbiter had issues this morning.
Si
nar but im fascinated with space flight always have being very interesting.
Sounds like the whole left side the orbiter had issues this morning.
Si