Cover Photo of new David M. Harlan new book

Being a Programmer, I always got a kick out of the Ariane 5 launch
mishap in '96 that was was due to inadequate testing resulting in a 64
bit number being dumped into a 16-bit register, resulting in a
hard-over pitch command. The whole stack tilted over, started coming
apart and self destructed at 40+ seconds.

Ah yes, I'm glad I wasn't on that project!

gb wrote:


......... rare metals added unique color to the explosion ....



The film of all the burning solid fuel falling around the launch site
looked like Hollywood taking a crack at the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorra.

Pat

"Pat Flannery" wrote in message
...

gb wrote:

......... rare metals added unique color to the explosion ....

The film of all the burning solid fuel falling around the launch site
looked like Hollywood taking a crack at the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorra.


The best film footage (and scariest) was the May 4, 1988 ammonium
perchlorate plant fire and explosion in Henderson, Nevada.
Seeing the shock wave from the helicopter -- gave you a real sense of the
magnitude. The ground footage looked like a special effects test for the
movie "Independence Day".
http://www.chemaxx.com/explosion1a.htm

FEMA report (with aftermath photos)
http://www.interfire.org/res_file/pdf/Tr-021.pdf

... and then there is Ky Michaelson
http://outside.away.com/outside/feat...r_blaster.html

gb