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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!noscvax!rupp
From: rupp@noscvax.UUCP (William L. Rupp)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: SRBs and Flaps
Message-ID: <255@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 15:35:35 EST
Article-I.D.: noscvax.255
Posted: Tue Mar 11 15:35:35 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 04:38:54 EST
References: <1402@garfield.columbia.edu>, <86@fai.UUCP> <6465@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 20
Summary: Clear the area!

In article <6465@utzoo.UUCP>, henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes:
> > ... In such a situation, (only one SRB ignites)
> > the shuttle probably becomes dangerous to the surrounding area, due to
> > the unpredictability of flight direction.  What is the flight officer
> > supposed to do in such a case?  Destruct the shuttle? ...
> 
> (I assume you mean the Range Safety Officer or equivalent title.)  That's
> what he's there for.  Nobody said it was going to be easy.  He gets paid
> to stand and watch the successful launches, but he *earns* his pay when
> something goes horribly wrong and prompt, perhaps very unpleasant, action
> is required.
> -- 
> 				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
> 				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry

This possibility is truly frightening.  I keep thinking of those Word War
II films of the experimental V-2's going off course just after launch or
even blowing up on the launch pad.  Would it be possible to restrict  
sight-seers from the immediate area (say a ten mile radius)?  Perhaps
someone more familiar with the geography of the launch site could comment.