Remember the scene of the ice breaking off the launch vehicle in Apollo 13. I've read (I don't remember where) that was a pretty accurate depiction of what actually happens.
George A ----- Original Message ----- From: "Miller, Jeffrey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 5:47 AM Subject: Interest article on shuttle tile damage from 1980 > http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/8004.easterbrook-fulltext.htm l > > "The external fuel tank, for instance, is full of oxygen and hydrogen cooled to -400� F. to make the gases flow as liquids. Ice will form on the tank. When Columbia's tiles started popping off in a stiff breeze, it occurred to engineers that ice chunks from the tank would crash into the tiles during the sonic chaos of launch" > > -j- > _______________________________________________ > http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l > _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
