eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder) (10/06/88)
In article <781@hadron.UUCP>, klr@hadron.UUCP (Kurt L. Reisler) writes: > What the hell was that flame that appeared between the left SRB and the > orbiter just before SRB seperation? It scared the hell out of me, > because it looked a little like what happened just before the Challanger > went up. It appeared to be a burn-off of a trapped pocket of gas. I don't have authoritative data on this reddish plume, but I can make an informed guess based on hanging around propulsion people and working on shuttle derived vehicles. At the time, the shuttle was going around Mach 3 to 4. The Shuttle is a very blunt object to be traveling at that speed. hence, there would be a strong shock wave coming off the noses of the parts of the stack. It could be that the interference or compression caused by those shocks was getting the air hot enough to glow. Another part of the puzzle is recalling that the ET insulation looks charred at the time it separates from the Orbiter. Perhaps some of the organic insulation material is burning with the air, hydrocarbon co -- Dani Eder / Boeing / Space Station Program / uw-beaver!ssc-vax!eder (205)464-4150(w) (205)461-7801(h) 1075 Dockside Drive #905 Huntsville, AL 35824 34 40 N latitude 86 40 W longitude +100m altitude, Earth