Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!slb-doll.CSNET!dietz
From: dietz@SLB-DOLL.CSNET (Paul Dietz)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: SRB Seal Failure Detail
Message-ID: <8603121832.AA04586@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Wed, 12-Mar-86 12:30:41 EST
Article-I.D.: s1-b.8603121832.AA04586
Posted: Wed Mar 12 12:30:41 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 05:37:58 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 10

>Was there any reason that the seal failed at the particular point it
>did, creating the jet of high-temperature gasses that had the subsequent
>effect of melting or weakening the attachment hardware? Or was this
>simple bad luck? If the seal was going to fail anyway, could it have
>just as readily failed at some other point in the joint's circumference,
>maybe jetting out into the air instead of back toward the external tank?

The flame quickly spread around the joint.  At the time of the explosion
flame was coming out along an arc of ~ 315 degrees.  It's amazing the
steel retaining pins in the SRB joint held.