Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.10 $; site ctvax
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!convex!ctvax!kerry
From: kerry@ctvax
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle escape question answered
Message-ID: <42600002@ctvax>
Date: Tue, 4-Feb-86 19:51:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ctvax.42600002
Posted: Tue Feb  4 19:51:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 21:00:26 EST
References: <814@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Lines: 8
Nf-ID: #R:decwrl.DEC.COM:814:ctvax:42600002:000:396
Nf-From: ctvax!kerry    Feb  4 18:51:00 1986


The velocity of Challenger at the time of the explosion was made public.
In fact, the launch director gave the last velocity a few milliseconds
after the explosion, of which is was not yet aware. 

I can't remember the exact figure, but it was near 2000 mph at the time of
the explosion. So, ejection seats would have been useless at that speed 
even if the passengers had time to activate them.