Date post: | 12-May-2015 |
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Recoveryof
Space ShuttleColumbia
and
Return to Flight of
Space ShuttleDiscovery
Michael U. RudolphiEngineering Director
Marshall Space Flight Center
On February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew were lost upon re-entry during STS-107.
The debris field ranged from eastern Texas to western Louisiana.
Radar - deriveddebris plot
Disaster field offices (DFO’s) were established at Barksdale AFB, LA and Lufkin and Ft. Worth, TX.
More than 25,000 people were actively involved in search efforts. Over 480 Federal, state, and local agencies (as well as private organizations and volunteer groups) provided search personnel, supplies, and equipment.
Debris field included:
Area about the size of Rhode Island
Main corridor ~10 miles wide and 240 miles long, stretching from Dallas, TX to Fort Polk, LA
8 counties inhabited by over 400,000 people (none injured by falling debris)
Multi-Agency response toa monumental challenge
Goals
Ensure public safety.
Recover crew.
Retrieve evidence.
Compensate costs incurred by local jurisdictions.
Searched
680,748 acres (total)
9,800 acres per day (average)
4.4 acres per day per searcher (average)
To date
82,300 out of 222,900 lbs recovered (~38% total re-entry weight of Space Shuttle Columbia)
Over 81,965 pieces retrieved during search
66,895 pieces identified at Kennedy Space Center
Ground search
Base Camp and ground search crews
8
Water Search
Dives
3,100 targets cleared in Toledo Bend Reservoir365 targets cleared in Lake Nacogdoches
Personnel involved per day: up to 166
Bottom time: 800 hours total
Boats13 dive boats12 security boats10 sonar boats
Sonar types usedMulti-beamSide scan
Dive TeamsUS Navy Salvage TeamUS Coast Guard TeamFBI Dive TeamDPS Dive TeamHouston Police Dive TeamGalveston Dive Team
Total area scanned
14.69 sq. miles in Toledo Bend Reservoir3.17 sq. miles in Lake Nacogdoches
Air search
Helicopters Fixed wing aircraftDC-3 aircraftCivil Air Patrol Department of DefenseNASA ER-2 (U-2 jet)Motorized paragliders
Monomethyl hydrazine spherical tank
Decontamination setup
All retrieved material shipped:
first to Barksdale AFB or Johnson Space Center
then to Kennedy Space Center
Reassembling the pieces
High-quality, capable, compatible peopleClearly articulated missions, strong universal buy-inTrust built through transparency of leadershipLocal capability, community generosityPowerful support for NASA and the space programNo ongoing threat to life or propertyOpenness of physical spaceConstituent units empoweredAccountable, but not overly rule-boundNegotiated competing missions,lack of “turf” strugglesExplicit attention to morale
Why Columbia recovery succeeded
In Memoriam
Commander: Rick Husband
Pilot: William McCool
Mission specialists:Mike AndersonDavid BrownKalpana ChawlaLaurel Clark
Payload specialist:Ilan Ramon (Israel)
Lost during recovery effort:Jules “Buzz” Mier, Jr.Charles Krenek
Return to Flight
Root Cause TestingRoot Cause Testing
CryoingestionCryoingestion--Critical Defect Critical Defect DeterminationDetermination
Bellows Ice MitigationBellows Ice Mitigation
TPS Fracture ToughnessTPS Fracture Toughness
ET/TPS Return to Flight - Development
This image shows a large piece of foam that separated from the ET during STS-114.
LO2 and LH2 PAL Ramp Elimination
Bipod Harness Revisions
Development Flight Instrumentation
Bipod Hardware Revisions
Intertank Acreage Machining /
VentingLO2 PAL Ramp
LH2 PAL Ramp
Ice Frost Ramp
STS-121 / ET-119Return to Flight Modifications
LO2 Feedline BellowsTPS Drip Lip and* Fwd Bellows Heater System
Partial LH2 PAL RampReplacement
Intertank / LH2 TankFlange CloseoutEnhancement
RedesignedBipod FittingRemove/ Replace
Longeron Closeouts
ET Camera in LO2Feedline Fairing
Bipod Strut Hardware(Lubricated thru-bolts)
Increase Area of Vented Intertank TPS
ET/SRB Bolt Catcher Inserts
RTF Instrumentation
ET Ground Umbilical Redesign * Delta from RTF Baseline –
Not reviewed at SSP DCR
STS-114 / ET-121 Return to Flight Modifications
LO2 F/L & Flange Interference (ET-130)
LO2 / Intertank IFR (ET-131)
SRB PAL Ramp(ET-126 & 128)
LO2 Feedline (F/L) Base closeout (ET-128)
LO2 F/L Strut (ET-125 & 128)
Thrust Strut Flange: OML Change (ET-125 & 128)
Aft Lower ET/SRB Fittings (ET-134)
Aft GH2 Press lineFairing (ET-135)
Diagonal StrutCloseout (ET-117)
Diagonal Strut TPS (ET-133) Umbilical Cable
Trays (ET-131)
Vertical Strut TPS (ET-132)
Helium Inject Box TPS (ET-134)
LO2 F/L Bellows Heaters (ET-128)
+Z Aerovent (ET-125)
Rank: 11
Rank: 10
Rank: 14
Rank: 8Rank: 5 & 9
Rank: 21Rank: 22
Rank: 15Rank: 20
Rank: 19
Rank: 12 & 13
Rank: 16 & 18
Rank: 17
Rank: 23 & 24
Rank: 3 & 7
Reduce: ICE
LH2 IFR Interim(ET-124)
Rank: 1
Reduce: TPSLH2 IFR Long Term(ET-128)
Rank: 4
Reduce: TPS & ICEReduce: TPS
Reduce: TPS
LO2 Feedline TI Yoke (ET-125 & 128)
Rank: 2 & 6
Reduce: TPS
Reduce: TPS
Reduce: TPSReduce: TPS
Reduce: ICE
Reduce: TPS
Reduce: ICE
Reduce: TPS & ICE
Reduce: TPS
Reduce: TPS
Reduce: TPS & ICE
Reduce: TPS & ICE
Reduce: ICE
Ranking and ET Implementation based
on SDS 6123 Several significant redesign initiatives have already been identified and prioritized.
ET-137STS 133
ET-136STS 132
ET-135STS 131
ET-134STS 130
ET-133STS 129
ET-132STS 128
ET-131STS 127
ET-130STS 126
ET-127STS 119
ET-129STS 125
ET-128STS 124
ET-126STS 123
ET-125STS 122
ET-120STS 120
ET-117STS 118
ET-124STS 117
ET-123STS 116
External Tank:
DeliveryOrder
STS: LaunchOrder
ET – Future Risk Reduction Redesign Initiatives
SRB bolt catcher
• Original design load did not include dynamic effects on energy absorber crush strength.
• Possible debris sources included SLA-561 thermal protection material, attach fasteners, or insert failure.
• New design uses cork as TPS material and has passed factor of safety testing.
SRB Return to FlightBolt Catcher NSIPC Redesign
External Tank
SRB
SRB ETET
SRBBolt
Catcher
Separation Plane
External Tank
SRB
SRB ETET
SRBBolt
Catcher
Separation Plane
• Bolt catcher redesigned to increase margin of safety
• NSI pressure cartridge redesigned to eliminate NSI ejection
PlayVideo
New Bolt Catcher Design
Previous Bolt Catcher Design
PlayVideo
Bolt CatcherBolt Catcher Fwd. Sep FiringFwd. Sep Firing
SRB Return to Flight
• Booster Separation Motor Igniter redesigned to eliminate erratic performance
Igniter Case
Igniter Propellant Grain
Igniter Adapter
Retainer
Igniter RodBKNO3 bags
BSM Cross-section
BSM Igniter Cross-section
Propellant
Liner
Case
Exit Cone
Graphite throat
Closure
Igniter
Igniter Case
Igniter Propellant Grain
Igniter Adapter
Retainer
Igniter RodBKNO3 bags
BSM Cross-section
BSM Igniter Cross-section
Propellant
Liner
Case
Exit Cone
Graphite throat
Closure
Igniter
Forward BSM
location
Aft BSM location
LH SRB RH SRB
Forward BSM
location
Aft BSM location
LH SRB RH SRB
Booster Separation Motor (BSM) Igniter Redesign
New Igniter Design
Previous Igniter Design
SRB Return to Flight
• Implement 4340 Steel ETA Ring
External Tank Attach (ETA) Ring
Location of ETA RingsRing Segment
LH ETA Rings ETA Rings
Thrust Post
StrutsSplice Plate
(4 places)
H-fitting
SRB Return to FlightExternal Tank Instrumentation
Bipod Temperatures(2 RTDs; 2 measurements)
+Z Intertank Accels(3 accels; 6 measurements)
LO2 PAL Ramp Accels(4 accels; 5 measurements)
• Enhanced Data Acquisition System (EDAS) used to record 13 ET measurements
Typical EDAS Installation
SRB Return to Flight
ETA RingCamera
Forward Skirt
Camera
Opposite Location for RH
ETObservation
Camera
SRB Camera System
PlayVideo
Return to Flight: Discovery
On July 26, 2005, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched during STS-114.
Two weeks later, the mission concluded with a successful landing at Edwards AFB, CA.
Continued with STS-115.
NASA's Constellation Program is developing the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) in order to return humans to the Moon and begin to prepare for even longer voyages.
www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall
Questions and Answers