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re: Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom
Posted on 8/18/15 at 1:22 pm to iglass
Posted on 8/18/15 at 1:22 pm to iglass
quote:
Incidentally, their deaths were caused by smoke inhalation. If the hatch could have been opened in time, they would have made it.
That's easy to say, but the truth is that it just wasn't possible.
The first hint of a problem was at 23:31:04.7. The last radio transmission - which was a scream - was at 23:31:21.8. By the time of that scream, they're seconds from being dead - and the elapsed time from the first hint of a problem has been less than 20 seconds.
Not only that, but during those same few seconds when the crew was reporting the fire, the capsule failed and the fire and smoke spread from the interior of the ship to the launch pad itself. The pad crew had to push through near-zero visibility conditions to even reach the capsule and many did so without any respiratory or thermal protection.
You can read the entire investigative report here.
They had less chance of escaping alive than you or I have of standing in the middle of the interstate and jumping over a speeding car just before it hits us.
1
Posted on 8/18/15 at 2:42 pm to JustGetItRight
quote:
That's easy to say, but the truth is that it just wasn't possible.
I didn't say it was a lot of time - the window was indeed very narrow - but it WAS possible with the right personnel at the right place. The test was poorly designed and all contingencies were not considered from a total system safety aspect - some things happened that had never been considered before. Hence the statement about previous experience and the Russians.
BTW, I am a contractor in NASA's Safety and Mission Assurance organization. JSC puts out a really nice chart that shows the history of all known accidents in spaceflight - ground support, ascent, orbit, re-entry, etc. Great stuff and very informative.
Posted on 8/18/15 at 3:05 pm to iglass
quote:
The test was poorly designed and all contingencies were not considered from a total system safety aspect
That was the real issue. Once it got to the point of the spark, their fate had already been sealed.
Posted on 8/18/15 at 8:35 pm to iglass
The capsule was a bomb...literally. Oxygenated capsule under pressure. Also the walls we covered with glue and Velcro.
The hatch opened inward and took minutes to open.
Total disaster waiting to happen.
The hatch opened inward and took minutes to open.
Total disaster waiting to happen.
Posted on 8/18/15 at 9:45 pm to LanierSpots
quote:
We have not had anything since then that matched it. Brought the country together.
Challenger.
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