A Toxic Leak Haunts the Shuttle Crew

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?


A Toxic Leak Haunts the Shuttle Crew

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/16/sc...&oref=s login

By JOHN SCHWARTZ, NY Times

Published: December 16, 2006

Photo caption: Capt. Robert L. Curbeam Jr. is set to make repairs today
outside the International Space Station, as he did on Tuesday. In 2001, he
became exposed to leaking ammonia while making repairs during a spacewalk.



As he leads his third spacewalk on the shuttle Discovery's mission to the
International Space Station, one word is likely to be on Capt. Robert L.
Curbeam Jr.'s mind today: ammonia.

The foul-smelling chemical is used in the space station's cooling systems
because its low freezing point is well suited to the chill of space.

But ammonia is also highly toxic, and it was at the center of a
frightening 2001 incident in which ammonia leaked from a cooling line and
coated Captain Curbeam's spacesuit.

It is a little-told story of cool competence and quick reaction under
pressure, and also a reminder, as the nation plans to return astronauts to
the Moon, that space is a tough neighborhood.

"Jim Oberg" wrote in message
...
anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?


A Toxic Leak Haunts the Shuttle Crew

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/16/sc...&oref=s login

By JOHN SCHWARTZ, NY Times

Published: December 16, 2006

Photo caption: Capt. Robert L. Curbeam Jr. is set to make repairs today
outside the International Space Station, as he did on Tuesday. In 2001,
he became exposed to leaking ammonia while making repairs during a
spacewalk.



As he leads his third spacewalk on the shuttle Discovery's mission to
the International Space Station, one word is likely to be on Capt. Robert
L. Curbeam Jr.'s mind today: ammonia.

The foul-smelling chemical is used in the space station's cooling
systems because its low freezing point is well suited to the chill of
space.

But ammonia is also highly toxic, and it was at the center of a
frightening 2001 incident in which ammonia leaked from a cooling line and
coated Captain Curbeam's spacesuit.

It is a little-told story of cool competence and quick reaction under
pressure, and also a reminder, as the nation plans to return astronauts
to the Moon, that space is a tough neighborhood.

I know that CFCs have been banned for use here on Earth, but it seems to me
that using it in space would be better than using ammonia, since it too has
a relatively low freezing point, is less toxic, and there is no ozone in
the ISS orbit to worry about. Just a thought.

George

Jim Oberg wrote:

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?

Well, I guess you could say it's OK because "haunt" could bring up
something from the past; but if I were reading the headline without your
warning I would have thought:

There is a toxic leak going on now and the crew is unable to find or fix
it. That is to say, making a story scarier than it needs to be. Although
reiterating that space is a dangerous environment may have some value.
--
Barbara Needham

The issue that struck me was that three times the caption refers to 'repair'
operations, as if stuff had broken and the crew had to go fix it -- again.
But in not one of the referred cases was any 'repair' actually going on --
it was all assembly and connection work to add new featres to the statiopn.
Nothing had broken.

Compare the alarmist 'haunted' remarks in the NY Times piece
to the at-the-time direct quotations from the flight crew, as
reported by Bill Harwood.

EVA-1, Feb 10, 2001, on STS-98

http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/...98_Archive.txt

.But first, they inspected each other for any signs of ammonia
contamination that could pose a problem when the astronauts re-enter the
shuttle later today.

"And Tom and Beamer, looking at each other, have you gotten much in the
way of ammonia crystals adhering to your suits?" Polansky asked. "I don't
think any, really, I just saw most of the stuff drifting away," Jones
reported. "I don't have any crystals on my suit, but I certainly have
gotten a good spray of ammonia on it, obviously." Curbeam said. "Let me
take a look at your suit here, Beam," Jones said. "Nothing on your visor and
your tools look clean. I can't see any visible signs of stuff stuck to him
at all."

"Jim Oberg" wrote:

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?

Massive problems - but resigned acceptance. 'Toxic' has become an
extremely overused word.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

"Derek Lyons" wrote in message
...
"Jim Oberg" wrote:

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?

Massive problems - but resigned acceptance. 'Toxic' has become an
extremely overused word.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

Anyone familiar with the properties of anhydrous ammonia will tell you that
there is no question about its toxicity.

http://msds.ehs.cornell.edu/msds/msdsdod/a67/m33029.htm

George

"George" wrote:

"Derek Lyons" wrote in message
...
"Jim Oberg" wrote:

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?

Massive problems - but resigned acceptance. 'Toxic' has become an
extremely overused word.


Anyone familiar with the properties of anhydrous ammonia will tell you that
there is no question about its toxicity.

http://msds.ehs.cornell.edu/msds/msdsdod/a67/m33029.htm

Yes, because like most people, they misuse toxic as the media has for
years.

(Here a clue for you: The disposal methods for toxic materials are
not 'use contaminated materials for fertilizer'.)

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

"Derek Lyons" wrote in message
...
"George" wrote:

"Derek Lyons" wrote in message
...
"Jim Oberg" wrote:

anybody else but me have problems with the terminology in the caption?

Massive problems - but resigned acceptance. 'Toxic' has become an
extremely overused word.


Anyone familiar with the properties of anhydrous ammonia will tell you
that
there is no question about its toxicity.

http://msds.ehs.cornell.edu/msds/msdsdod/a67/m33029.htm

Yes, because like most people, they misuse toxic as the media has for
years.

(Here a clue for you: The disposal methods for toxic materials are
not 'use contaminated materials for fertilizer'.)

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

Well, I for one am certainly glad that you aren't a first responder. I can
see your reaction to an anyhdrous ammonia spill along a railline in a major
city: "It's not toxic because 'they' missuse the word. Just leave it be."
Meanwhile, as thousands succumb to the fumes...

George

George wrote:

Well, I for one am certainly glad that you aren't a first responder. I can
see your reaction to an anyhdrous ammonia spill along a railline in a major
city: "It's not toxic because 'they' missuse the word. Just leave it be."
Meanwhile, as thousands succumb to the fumes...

I'll also add that phosphate fertilizer is *routinely* contaminated
with a material (cadmium) that does qualify as 'toxic'. There's some
concern about the long term effect of cadmium buildup in soils.

Paul