Shuttle fuel burn

[joema]

Originally Posted by GordonR_Cape

"A quick heads-up, this week is the 30th anniversary of the Challenger Shuttle disaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_...enger_disaster
Worth reading by anyone interested in the safety of complex technology.

I wrote much of the original article, although I no longer maintain it.

National Geographic Channel is showing a documentary this week, titled "Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes". It uses cinema verite techniques (no narrator, no new interviews, no commentary, no recreations) to factually explain the event using little-seen archival footage. Barbara Morgan (Christa McAuliffe's backup) described it as "very compelling and respectful".

Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes - National Geographic Channel

About Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes Show - National Geographic Channel - UK

Link to trailer: http://tinyurl.com/zgkc7cx

For anyone interested in deep technical and procedural aspects, by far the most detailed account of the disaster and history of the SRB program is "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster", by Allan J. McDonald.

McDonald discusses what happened and implications for engineering ethics in this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_I-WUQvbjM

While a different incident, the transcript of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) from 4-23-03 is very educational, in particular statements by Robert F. Thompson, the shuttle program manager from inception to first flight. It covers key shuttle development decisions, development costs, planned flight rate, etc (do right-click and save as): https://www.nasa.gov/columbia/caib/PDFS/VOL6/H08.PDF If problems opening this, use top-level link and select "H.8 April 23,2003 Houston,Texas" : https://www.nasa.gov/columbia/caib/html/VOL6.html