mike.knox@canrem.uucp (mike knox) (01/30/91)
Subject: Weekly World News publishes Challenger tape transcript Henry Spencer writes: >To put it bluntly, it's all wrong. For one thing, there *is* no >"ditch procedure" for an orbiter: ditching one is 100% fatal, because the >orbiter is too fragile to survive. Are you sure of this? I remember seeing pictures of a mock-up orbiter in the water with frog-men "rescuing" astronauts in some kind of training exercise. Mike LSUC!mike.knox@canrem.uucp ---- --- ~ DeLuxe}ab #4782 ~ Message composed 01-29-91 at 11:48am -- Canada Remote Systems. Toronto, Ontario NorthAmeriNet Host
jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Jonathan A Bishop) (01/30/91)
mike.knox@canrem.uucp (mike knox) writes: >Subject: Weekly World News publishes Challenger tape transcript > >Henry Spencer writes: >>To put it bluntly, it's all wrong. For one thing, there *is* no >>"ditch procedure" for an orbiter: ditching one is 100% fatal, because the >>orbiter is too fragile to survive. > >Are you sure of this? I remember seeing pictures of a mock-up orbiter >in the water with frog-men "rescuing" astronauts in some kind of training >exercise. There is a "ditch procedure" only in the crew has no choice other than to try ditching if land cannot be reached. The chances of survival are minimal, but it's probably still worth practicing a little bit just in case. In his book, Rep. Bill Nelson also said that even if the orbiter did not break up on impact, the shock would probably disorient the astronauts enough that they could not get out before the orbiter sank.
gregc@cimage.com (Greg Cronau) (02/01/91)
In article <1991Jan29.887.1616@canrem.uucp> "mike knox" <mike.knox@canrem.uucp> writes: >Subject: Weekly World News publishes Challenger tape transcript > >Henry Spencer writes: >>To put it bluntly, it's all wrong. For one thing, there *is* no >>"ditch procedure" for an orbiter: ditching one is 100% fatal, because the >>orbiter is too fragile to survive. > >Are you sure of this? I remember seeing pictures of a mock-up orbiter >in the water with frog-men "rescuing" astronauts in some kind of training >exercise. > > Mike LSUC!mike.knox@canrem.uucp > ---- >--- > ~ DeLuxe}ab #4782 ~ Message composed 01-29-91 at 11:48am >-- >Canada Remote Systems. Toronto, Ontario >NorthAmeriNet Host I agree. There is a crew compartment mockup floating(or anchored) in the turning basin. I believe it is visible from the VIP viewing area. They use that mockup for sea rescue exercises. Why bother with the exercises if they are pointless? *I* don't believe the WWN report either, ending with the 23rd Psalm is just too damn hollywood, and why don't you hear any attempt by the pilots to contact capcom? gregc@cimage.com