lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) (12/31/90)
While we're on the subject, I noticed in Time that the New York Times failed in its attempt to get the tapes of the Challenger's final moments released, with NASA arguing that the privacy of the astronauts' families demanded that they be kept secret. I'm curious; have the families actually said this? I recall that in the immediate aftermath, at least one family was attempting to get them released for use in a suit against NASA. I don't particularly want the tapes released, but I'd like to know that there was an honest transcript. -- Laura Burchard lhb6v@virginia.edu lhb6v@virginia.bitnet October 3: After 45 bitter years of separation, East and West Germany unite to form a single nation, chastened by the past, hopeful for the future. October 4: Germany invades Poland. --Dave Barry's Year in Review 1990
lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) (01/02/91)
In article <4280@mindlink.UUCP> a143@mindlink.UUCP (Ed Meyer) writes: >Laura, I agree with your question. If NASA doesn't have sworn statements from >families and/or authorized representatives then I don't know how they can make >specific claims. On a more general scope, secrecy is usually the tip of an >"iceberg" associated with fear(s). If so, wonder what the fear(s) may be. It's a small article, so I'll reprint it all. On rereading it, I note that it doesn't actually specify privacy of families, but that was NASA's line last I heard, and I can't imagine who else's privacy would be involved. From the Grapevine section of Time, December 24, 1990 "Challenger: The Final Words" Nearly five years after the event, the legal wrangling continues over audiotapes of the space shuttle Challenger's final moments. Several news organizations (including Time) sued NASA under the Freedom of Information Act to disclose certain aspects of its investigation into the accident. Most eventually withdrew their actions, but the New York Times has continued to petition for tapes to back up a NASA transcript of cabin conversation. In the official version, the final comment is pilot Michael Smith's "uh-oh," indicating he might have been aware of impending danger. A federal appeals court agreed with NASA that releasing the voice material would constitute an invasion of privacy. George Freeman, a Times lawyer, says the paper has not decided if it will appeal. But a NASA investigator has confirmed suspicions that the astronauts were conscious of their fate, and that among the last words from the craft were those of one astronaut saying to another, "Give me your hand." Now, just because someone leaked it doesn't mean it's true, but it wouldn't be inconsistent with the evidence of the breathing packs that they were alive and at least briefly conscious. As to what NASA might be afraid of; they don't want people to be any madder at them then they are now, and this would certainly put them in a poor light, particularly because of their decision not to install an escape system. Not that I think that almost certainly injured astronauts would have much chance to escape from a badly damaged, tumbling cabin with the current system. Still, I would prefer to have the chance to try, even if only for the distraction. Two and half minutes is a long, long time to helplessly wait to die. -- Laura Burchard lhb6v@virginia.edu lhb6v@virginia.bitnet October 3: After 45 bitter years of separation, East and West Germany unite to form a single nation, chastened by the past, hopeful for the future. October 4: Germany invades Poland. --Dave Barry's Year in Review 1990
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (01/02/91)
In article <1991Jan1.195102.7391@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) writes: >"... a NASA investigator has confirmed suspicions that the >astronauts were conscious of their fate, and that among the last words >from the craft were those of one astronaut saying to another, "Give me >your hand." I would class this as somewhat improbable, given that the recorder was not battery powered and hence lost power immediately when the breakup began. Such a request also strikes me as seriously out of character for the sort of people who become astronauts. Yes, even Christa McAuliffe. Much more likely is the suggestion that Smith's "uh-oh" was really more along the lines of "oh shit", apparently the most common "last words" in such situations. -- "The average pointer, statistically, |Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology points somewhere in X." -Hugh Redelmeier| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) (01/02/91)
In article <1991Jan2.015229.2177@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <1991Jan1.195102.7391@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) writes: >>"... a NASA investigator has confirmed suspicions that the >>astronauts were conscious of their fate, and that among the last words >>from the craft were those of one astronaut saying to another, "Give me >>your hand." >I would class this as somewhat improbable, given that the recorder was not >battery powered and hence lost power immediately when the breakup began. Like I said; just because it's leaked doesn't mean it's true, and major disasters due tend to be breeding grounds for rumor. One of my history of Apollo books notes that the Apollo 1 fire led to rumors far more gruesome than the reality. On the other hand, NASA's behavior before and after Challenger doesn't lead one to much comforting faith in the verity of their pronouncements (no insult meant to you personally, Henry) and considerable cynicism about their ability to cover their asses. >Such a request also strikes me as seriously out of character for the sort >of people who become astronauts. Yes, even Christa McAuliffe. >Much more likely is the suggestion that Smith's "uh-oh" was really more >along the lines of "oh shit", apparently the most common "last words" in >such situations. Don't know enough about astronauts to psychoanalyze them. I would find it unlikely in the case of a crew working to survive, but not totally impossible in the case of a crew waiting. I'll agree that it sounds a trifle romanticized. As for the "uh-oh"; that I'll believe, from the evidence of air crash investigators. -- Laura Burchard lhb6v@virginia.edu lhb6v@virginia.bitnet October 3: After 45 bitter years of separation, East and West Germany unite to form a single nation, chastened by the past, hopeful for the future. October 4: Germany invades Poland. --Dave Barry's Year in Review 1990
davet@tsdiag.ccur.com (Dave Tiller N2KAU) (01/04/91)
In article <1991Jan2.034718.12451@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> lhb6v@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Laura Hayes Burchard) writes:
-
-As for the "uh-oh"; that I'll believe, from the evidence of air crash
-investigators.
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Is that kinda like the "fiddlesticks" in the official translation of the
Russian pilot's communications after firing a missle or two at Korean Airlines
flight 007?
--
David E. Tiller davet@tsdiag.ccur.com | Concurrent Computer Corp.
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