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Conference 7.286::space

Title:Space Exploration
Notice:Shuttle launch schedules, see Note 6
Moderator:PRAGMA::GRIFFIN
Created:Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:974
Total number of notes:18843

175.0. "Shuttle Main Engines Trouble?" by GWEN::ENGBERG () Mon May 12 1986 09:37

    I heard on the news a few nights back that they have found serious
    flaws in the Shuttles Main Engines as well (not the SRBs), and had
    that been known, the shuttle would not have been allowed to fly. It
    was something about poor quality metal in fule pump turbines.
    
    I have not seen anything in the papers about this, anybody know
    anything?
    
    							Bjorn
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175.1From Vandenberg, perhapsSKYLAB::FISHERBurns Fisher 381-1466Mon May 12 1986 15:5010
    The only thing I have heard is that they are having lots of trouble
    certifying the SSMEs for 109% power, and that this power is required
    for launching from Vandenberg into polar orbit.  Thus, I would believe
    a statement like "A Vandenberg launch this summer would not have
    been allowed even without the Challenger explosion."  Incidently,
    there are also questions being raised about the new composite SRBs,
    which are also important for polar orbit launches from V.
    
    Burns
    
175.2Attitude adjustmentPYRITE::WEAVERDave - Laboratory Data ProductsMon May 12 1986 19:2210
    AWAST seemed to indicate that questions were being more than just
    raised about the composite SRBs, and they are considering having
    the attitude of the shuttle changed on liftoff to save enough fuel
    for the launch of a payload that cannot be launched without the
    weight savings from the composites.  So the astronauts would get
    to ride on top rather than on the bottom of the External Tank to
    possibly save enough fuel to get the desired thrust to compensate
    for not have the weight savings of the composite boosters.
    
    						-Dave