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From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: ET barge at VAFB breaks loose
Message-ID: <597@ihlts.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Oct-84 08:04:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlts.597
Posted: Tue Oct 23 08:04:15 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Oct-84 03:39:53 EDT
Organization: Starfleet Headquarters
Lines: 15

The oceanfront dock at the new $2.5 billion space shuttle launch complex
at Vandenberg AFB was damaged slightly when a barge delivering a shuttle
fuel tank broke loose, the Air Force said Monday.  No one was injured, and
the $21 million external fuel tank was not damaged.  The accident did cause
a six-hour delay in unloading the 154-foot-tall, 70-ton tank.

The fuel tank is to be used in ground tests prior to first shuttle launch
at Vandenberg, scheduled for October 1985.  The new complex is for high-
security military shuttle flights.

The apparent cause of the mishap was a failure by the barge to dump its
ballast water quickly enough to keep the vessel level as the tide receded
in brisk winds.
--
Roger Noe			ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe