"Rumblings"

http://www.usspacenews.com/rumbelings.html

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The ET Saga

Several years ago (in the 90's) the EPA and a past Administrator
demanded the shuttle program remove Freon from the primary ET
foam (CPR-488). From the moment NASA implemented the change,
lots of foam was flying off the ET. Now we had a new problem.

Thought is now being given to going back to the old CPR-488 foam.


ET Hints From MSFC

Inside word from MSFC is the largest piece of foam that came off
Discovery's ET is the result of work conducted in the forward end of
the area that failed and may not be an issue requiring redesign.

Revised maintenance and close out standards may take care of the
risk.

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"The largest piece of foam," eh? Got a photo of it?

Challenger's Ghost

Of course this ignores the FACT that foam shedding was a problem from
FLIGHT ONE. and it was obviously the old foam...

NASA is now trying to claim foam shedding is acceptable.

Then start flying with just a crew of one or two, that way a shuttle
stuck at station isnt 7 astronauts stuck at station...

On 5 Aug 2005 05:45:57 -0700, "Bob Haller" wrote:

Of course this ignores the FACT that foam shedding was a problem from
FLIGHT ONE. and it was obviously the old foam...

NASA is now trying to claim foam shedding is acceptable.

Whatever it takes for them to launch in September. I have looked at
this foam, where I am happy with it.

Then start flying with just a crew of one or two, that way a shuttle
stuck at station isnt 7 astronauts stuck at station...

The problem with this idea is that NASA already has an astronaut
backlog, where some of those people won't even fly in space. So by not
launching 7 people on the Shuttle, then they turn this smaller problem
into a much larger one.

Astronauts would prefer to fly, even if the odds of death changes from
dying alone, to dying within a group of 7.

Also it would not be 7 stuck at the station. There would 4 extra stuck
at the station, when the other 3 would return to earth in the Russian
Soyuz craft.

So then you would have 6 people stuck at the station, where NASA would
have 20 to 30 days to get the remaining 4 people. It would be a good
idea for this rescue mission to bring up additional supplies.

Cardman.

With at least 2 soyuz at station, and a couple in the pipeline ready
for immediate launch, foam loss couldd be safely tolerated, while other
remdies are tried.

incidently sending 3 back immediately was never nasas first choice, as
it would leave no way to get a crew member home in a emergency. like
appendecitis.....

On 5 Aug 2005 13:20:55 -0700, "Bob Haller" wrote:

With at least 2 soyuz at station, and a couple in the pipeline ready
for immediate launch, foam loss couldd be safely tolerated, while other
remdies are tried.

Yes, that is one option. I don't think that the Russians are too keen
to keep two of their craft up there though. Are you going to pay them
to do this? I thought not...

incidently sending 3 back immediately was never nasas first choice, as
it would leave no way to get a crew member home in a emergency. like
appendecitis.....

It would certainly go ahead. Not sending three people back to Earth
would reduce their available supplies a great deal earlier. That puts
every other person's life at risk.

I don't see that appendicitis would be much of an issue. Just give
someone a scalpel and they could soon have it removed. Easy job I am
sure. And where they would even have some experts on the other end of
the video link to guide them.

I would even suspect that one of their crew members would have some
medical training.

You don't need to be a brain surgeon in other words. And I am sure
that they will have this covered on any Mars trip.

Cardman.

Bob Haller ) wrote:
: Of course this ignores the FACT that foam shedding was a problem from
: FLIGHT ONE. and it was obviously the old foam...

: NASA is now trying to claim foam shedding is acceptable.

Well a certain amount is.

: Then start flying with just a crew of one or two, that way a shuttle
: stuck at station isnt 7 astronauts stuck at station...

Given more successful flights makes this kind of talk disappear.

Eric