FWD: NASA workers may have caused mishap

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/1....ap/index.html

"What probably happened is that during modifications to the tank at
Michoud, technicians inadvertently damaged the section that ended up
coming off, while working on nearby areas, Wayne Hale said. "This
foam, which normally is not touched after it's applied, clearly was
touched," he said.

Workers using plastic knives to remove nearby foam may have made small
cuts in the section that tore away, allowing air to condense in the
crevices against the tank, full of super-cold fuel, Hale said. Another
possibility, he said, is that workers leaned against the piece of foam
that broke off, and fractured it. Yet another theory is that the foam
cracked because of normal thermal stresses.

A spokesman for Lockheed Martin Corp., which builds the tanks at
Michoud, said inadvertent worker damage is one of the potential causes
being investigated. "We're committed to supporting NASA and the space
shuttle program," spokesman Harry Wadsworth said."

...Of course, this means that new rules will be passed prohibiting NASA
workers from carving their initials into the tank foam before launch
:-)

OM

--

"Try Andre Dead Duck Canadian Champagne! | http://www.io.com/~o_m
Rated the lamest of the cheapest deported | Sergeant-At-Arms
brands by the Condemned in Killfile Hell!" | Human O-Ring Society

Easy to blame workers, wether or not they are at fault. Keeps the
prpgram and JOBS going even a bit longer.....

With OMB wanting to shut it down and asking about shut down costs
desperate measures and quick fixes are important.

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 01:39:51 -0500, OM
om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_researc h_facility.org wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/1....ap/index.html

"What probably happened is that during modifications to the tank at
Michoud, technicians inadvertently damaged the section that ended up
coming off, while working on nearby areas, Wayne Hale said. "This
foam, which normally is not touched after it's applied, clearly was
touched," he said.

OK, this might well be true. But it also seems like an easy way out.
They should be more careful and launch again, to test the theory...
Maybe put Wayne on the crew as a confidence-building measure.
He'd probably jump at the chance anyway

Dale

Actually I'am a little bit disturbed that OM titled the thread"NASA
workers may have caused mishap". The workers in question are Lockmart,
not NASA personel, aren't they?
-Mike

OM wrote:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/1....ap/index.html

"What probably happened is that during modifications to the tank at
Michoud, technicians inadvertently damaged the section that ended up
coming off, while working on nearby areas, Wayne Hale said. "This
foam, which normally is not touched after it's applied, clearly was
touched," he said.

Workers using plastic knives to remove nearby foam may have made small
cuts in the section that tore away, allowing air to condense in the
crevices against the tank, full of super-cold fuel, Hale said. Another
possibility, he said, is that workers leaned against the piece of foam
that broke off, and fractured it. Yet another theory is that the foam
cracked because of normal thermal stresses.

A spokesman for Lockheed Martin Corp., which builds the tanks at
Michoud, said inadvertent worker damage is one of the potential causes
being investigated. "We're committed to supporting NASA and the space
shuttle program," spokesman Harry Wadsworth said."

..Of course, this means that new rules will be passed prohibiting NASA
workers from carving their initials into the tank foam before launch
:-)

OM

Rather poorly engineered space vehicle that can be destroyed by someone
leaning against it.

Bill,
Phoenix

Bill Gray wrote:

A spokesman for Lockheed Martin Corp., which builds the tanks at
Michoud, said inadvertent worker damage is one of the potential
causes being investigated. "We're committed to supporting NASA and
the space shuttle program," spokesman Harry Wadsworth said."

..Of course, this means that new rules will be passed prohibiting
NASA workers from carving their initials into the tank foam before
launch
:-)

OM

Rather poorly engineered space vehicle that can be destroyed by
someone leaning against it.

Better get Convair on the phone, and tell them that Atlas will never
work. If you aren't always pumping them full of air, they'll
collapse under their own weight.

Better call Martin, too. There's an off chance that someone might
drop a wrench socket in a silo, and puncture both a fuel and oxidizer
tank.

--
Pete Stickney
Java Man knew nothing about coffee.