2 Shuttle Main Computers Failed During Launch Last Month
LWojack@aol.com
Tue, 17 Aug 1999 20:46:29 EDT
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This would not make me feel all that good...does anyone know if it would be
practical to hook a diagnostic system to check for short circuits before
lift-off? If the Shuttle doesn't have back-up rocket thruster computers, we
have seven casualities.
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*** Columbia short circuit slows work
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - The short circuit aboard space shuttle
Columbia has been traced to a damaged wire and is holding up work on
Endeavour. Endeavour is scheduled to lift off Sept. 16 on a
radar-mapping mission of Earth. Over the weekend, technicians
discovered the source of the short circuit that occurred five seconds
into Columbia's launch July 23. The half-second short knocked out the
primary computers for two of the three main engines. Backup computers
took over. It turns out that an electrical wire in the cargo bay had
its insulation stripped away in one spot by a rough screw. NASA
suspects a worker may have inadvertently pressed on the wire during
preparations for a previous launch, agency spokesman Joel Wells said
Wednesday. Contact between the wire and screw caused the short. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=3D2560670218-744
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