Mike Rosing <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote : >From: >http://ltp.arc.nasa.gov/space/ask/landing/Black_tiles_falling_off.txt > >"If more than a few were lost from the same area, though, the heat could >get bad enough to cause damage to the aluminum skin. Nobody wants to see >what would happen if the wings started to deform like taffy, so the tiles >are each pull-tested before each flight to ensure the best possible >adhesion. > >Repairing in orbit would be nearly out of the question. For one thing, >adhesives don't work well in space (all the volatiles freeze or evaporate >instantly), and for another, the tiles are different shape, so there's no >way to carry a spare for everything. The astronauts prefer that >everything be gotten right on the ground!" > As I understand it ( possibly I'm mistaken ) the first 5 or 10 shuttle flights carried some sort of gizmo that could squirt an ablative material to conduct repairs in space. So if that item had been carried and if equipment had been on board to support a spacewalk some type of repair may have been attempted. That assumes no damage to the underlying structure. Then you're into welding. Weight, weight, weight.
Seems kindof like leaving the spare tire, jack, poncho and duck boots out of your car to save weight and space. It's fine except for that one day you get a flat while it's pouring freezing rain and there's 3 or 4 inches of slush on the ground. Overconfidence? Playing the odds rather than playing it safe? >And an astronomer from california reported seeing stuff fall off while >over his head. It looks like the landing gear area is the place it >started. It will be interesting to see if they can figure out what >actually happened, but it's clear that even if they knew there was a >problem, there's nothing they could have done other than burn up. > Bishop, CA wasn't it? That would be maybe 1000 miles or 4-5 minutes away from the catastrophic breakup in E TX. More than enough time to realize you're beyond screwed. >Bummer. > I'm not a fan of the space program but yup, it's a bummer. >Patience, persistence, truth, >Dr. mike >
