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From: clj@ksr.com (Chris Jones)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Weekly World News publishes Challenger tape transcript
Message-ID: <1901@ksr.com>
Date: 25 Jan 91 19:20:26 GMT
References: <38406@cup.portal.com> <9947@orca.wv.tek.com> <73191734@bfmny0.BFM.COM> <1991Jan25.162510.9542@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
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In-reply-to: pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov (Peter Scott)

In article <1991Jan25.162510.9542@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>, pjs@euclid (Peter Scott) writes:
>In article <73191734@bfmny0.BFM.COM>, tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff) writes:
>> In article <9947@orca.wv.tek.com> bill@flutter.tv.tek.com (William K. McFadden) writes:
>> >So, what does it say?
>> 
>> --- WARNING ---
>> 
>> This may make you very sad.  I sure was. 
>
>You were right; so was I.  What makes it even more saddening is
>not knowing whether or not this is true.

What happened is a tragedy, whether or not the WWN got the story right (I
wouldn't bet on them having gotten it right).  It's not necessary to know
exactly what went on in the crew cabin to feel very sad about that.

>	     But I think we both know that if they survived the
>break-up, this is the kind of thing that would have happened.

The medical report done by Joe Kerwin makes it clear that the disintegration of
the Challenger was eminently survivable, and that, judging from three of the
four air packs examined, at least some of the crew survived until impact.  I
believe he concluded they probably lost consciousness during the crew cabin's
ascent and he does not speculate as to whether any of them regained
consciousness during the descent.

I don't presume to know what would have happened in the crew cabin if the crew
remained conscious.  The important things to know about the failure are why it
occurred, how can a recurrence be prevented, and what to do if it reoccurs.

>Not speaking for NASA.        |    Peter Scott, NASA/JPL/Caltech
>                              |    (pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov)

Probably the most apt use of a disclaimer I have ever seen.
--
Chris Jones    clj@ksr.com    {world,uunet,harvard}!ksr!clj