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From: lmc@cisden.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Aviation Week Report on Challenger (2/10/86)
Message-ID: <518@cisden.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Feb-86 13:17:53 EST
Article-I.D.: cisden.518
Posted: Fri Feb 21 13:17:53 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 06:56:40 EST
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> What would be the effect on the boosters of having such a thermal
> gradient?  With a warm inside and a cold skin, one is tempted to
> think that the inside would be compressed somewhat and the outside
> streched a bit; but would it matter?  Would it change the risk
> of gaps and poor sealing between segments and/or O rings?
> 
Speculating (since I've not actually ever had anything actually to do with
the SRB's) I would presume that shuttle management presumed that the
combination of the insulation that lines the inside of the SRB casing
and the physical properties of the fuel itself would prevent any physical
misalignment. The fuel is imbedded in an epoxy base which is, I believe,
somewhat plastic and flexible. Obviously, though, something did go wrong.

Lyle McElhaney
...hao!cisden!lmc