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From: fisher@star.DEC (Burns Fisher ZKO1-1/D42 DTN 381-1466)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Challenger disaster
Message-ID: <787@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Wed, 29-Jan-86 09:25:54 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.787
Posted: Wed Jan 29 09:25:54 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 02:57:50 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.DEC.COM
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 22

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I was devastated by the disaster yesterday, as I am sure many of us were.  
However, we must go on to find the cause, fix it, and continue to explore!
In that spirit of sorrow but unsquelchable interest:

I have heard speculation that one of the SRBs exploded.  After watching many
slow motion reruns, I don't think this was the case.  After all, they did
take off on their own. One comentator (a
Discovery Magazine writer, not a newshack) noted vapor appearing around the
base of the ET just a few frames before the explosion.  Looks to me like
a LH2 or LOX leak.  Which is in the bottom of the tank, LOX or LH2?

Another thing:  Are the SRB recovery aids autonomous?  Any chance that they
popped their chutes and landed intact after they finished firing?  If they
are recovered, that would be (obviously) good evidence about the SRB explosion
theory.

Burns


...decwrl!rhea!star!fisher