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Wing Seals Blamed in Columbia's Demise

Posted by michael on from the yellow-and-blue-make-green dept.

MoonFacedAssassin writes "MSNBC has this article stating that a 'seal from Columbia's left wing was apparently the mystery object that floated away in orbit, and it was almost certainly struck by something - like a chunk of foam - before it came off, accident investigators said Tuesday.' The article also quoted Navy Rear Admiral Stephen Turcotte, a CAIB member, as having a confidence level 'up there near the 70s and 80s percent' about the T-seal."

3 of 252 comments (clear)

  1. We can thank the environmentalists for this one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    NASA used to use a different process to attach the foam to the tank. Foam never came off in huge chunks using the old process, but due to extreme pressure from environmental groups, NASA stopped using the old process because it made use of Freon. A new process was put in place that didn't use Freon, but now the foam wasn't adhering as well.

    I wonder if the enviro-nuts ever bothered to compare Freon emissions from NASA with the vast emissions of the very same stuff from faulty HVAC systems and such all over the world. I'm sure it was worth the lives of seven astronauts and a few billion dollars worth of hardware, yessirree.

  2. obvious? by dioscaido · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Once again, something even CNN knew BEFORE RE-ENTRY! I want to be a NASA expert and get paid to twiddle my thumbs.

  3. Foam is really dangerous? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    One time I threw a foam Nerf ball, hit a moving car. it spun out of control and EXPLODED. Because foam is very tough and hard and can inflict a lot of damage.