Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!pyrnj!dasys1!tneff
From: tneff@dasys1.UUCP (Tom Neff)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Apparent SRB Flame Plume
Message-ID: <6762@dasys1.UUCP>
Date: 2 Oct 88 04:27:04 GMT
References: <3813@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Reply-To: tneff@dasys1.UUCP (Tom Neff)
Organization: Independent Users Guild
Lines: 20

I see two separate, potentially disturbing things when I replay the
launch.  First, just as Discovery clears the tower and for a couple of
seconds afterward, there is a definite extra plume coming from the
starboard SRB at the case-to-nozzle joint on the inboard side.  This
is not a camera reflection or layer separation (or swamp gas).  If NASA
refuses to say anything about this after the flight I am mailing a
videocassette to my congressman.

Then, from about T+60 to T+100 seconds, there is that mass of yellow
flame visible aft of the ET and "between" the SRB skirts, similar to
what we saw on Challenger before the breakup.  Is this a normal aerodynamic
effect (if so, may I say this is not the most comforting news I have been
given lately) or is it from an unwanted flame plume?

Was Discovery's ascent really "nominal" as we were all thrilled to hear
CAPCOM tell the crew after MECO -- or are we lucky they're alive at all?
-- 
Tom Neff			UUCP: ...!cmcl2!phri!dasys1!tneff
	"None of your toys	CIS: 76556,2536	       MCI: TNEFF
	 will function..."	GEnie: TOMNEFF	       BIX: t.neff (no kidding)