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From: mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Did the O-rings REALLY do it ???
Message-ID: <38828@cup.portal.com>
Date: 3 Feb 91 23:07:45 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 48

The following letter appeared in the Feb. 2 issue of the San Jose
Mercury-News.  Who is AbuTaha and why should we believe him?

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The fifth anniversary of the Challenger accident was Monday and,
although the O-ring has become a modern colloquialism, not many
people were aware of the extensive work of Ali AbuTaha, a space
and structural engineer from Herndon, Va.

AbuTaha's independent investigation of the accident included
analysis of computer-enhancement-of-flight videos, review of
structural specifications and study of the pre-explosion flight
deck transcript.  His analyses show strong evidence that the crew
was well aware of significant problems prior to the actual
explosion.

AbuTaha's findings also clearly show confusion on the part of
NASA and the Rogers Commission concerning just how much bending
load should be expected on the solid rocket boosters just prior
to their ignition.  His extensive analysis of the lower aft joint
shows the impossibility of either O-ring failure in the manner
reported or even the production of flames from the joint if
there were no O-ring at all.

Is it possible that the accident was the result of the following
combined culprits?

-- The over-compression of the aft-center booster section beyond
pre-established limits when the chell was re-assembled, and

-- At least some of the booster and peripheral components designed
to withstand only half the actual load that they should have been.
Wouldn't that have initiated a crack and thus a major leak at the
joint?

More important, and at the expense of sounding facetious, who cares?
NASA doesn't seem to.  Neither does Congress nor the American press.

There are a handful of engineers, however, who wince at how AbuTaha
and his work have been treated.  It is time we found the legitimate
cause of the accident.  Not only does the future success of our space
program rest on this but so does the integrity of the engineering
profession.

James Intrater
Vice-President, R&D
Advanced Technology, Inc.