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From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: net.columbia,net.astro.expert
Subject: Re: Re: Whats small, green & deadly?
Message-ID: <794@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 8-Feb-86 10:24:16 EST
Article-I.D.: kitty.794
Posted: Sat Feb  8 10:24:16 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Feb-86 07:35:28 EST
References: <287@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU> <23@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 31
Xref: watmath net.columbia:2259 net.astro.expert:205

>> I don't know, but a NASA spokesperson told people not to beachcomb for
>> Challenger debris because they might discover "a small green object which
>> would kill them 1 or 2 seconds after touching it."  What could this be?
> 
> Source: _New York Times_ (Thursday or Friday of this week)
> 
> The fuel used by the shuttle to adjust it's position in orbit, and to
> slow down for re-entry is monohydrazine (sp?) mixed with nitrogen
> tetraoxide.  When mixed, these substances react violently without any
> need for ignition. ...
> 
> You guessed it...both these are stored abord the shuttle in green drums,
> which may have ruptured during the explosion.  NASA experts were quoted
> as saying that pieces of these drums, even after being washed by the
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Atlantic Ocean, would be dangerous if touched.

	Not true - but it SOUNDS good as a deterent against people disturbing
Challenger debris.
	Hydrazine is miscible in water, and forms an azeotropic mixture which
will be readily dispersed.  Nitrogen tetroxide combines with water to form
nitric acid, which is dispersed even faster.
	INTACT containers of the above materials would in fact be quite
dangerous.

==>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York        <==
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