[AR] Re: SpaceX failure update

  • From: "Hugh Blair-Smith" <hugh.bs@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:28:27 -0400

The account cited is pretty good but omits a key bit of bad design that hid
the thousand-degree overheat. To quote from my book:

"Unfortunately, the highest reading the temperature sensor could display on
the instrument panel was the designed maximum of 80<deg>F. The strongly
built tank showed no problem with that extreme (and completely undetected)
temperature. Inside it, the Teflon insulation on the stirring fan's wiring
quietly melted."

Left Brains for the Right Stuff: Computers, Space, and History" pp 322-323.

Hugh B-S

-----Original Message-----
From: arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of John Dom
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2016 4:45 PM
To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AR] Re: SpaceX failure update



Henry Spencer on 141016:

Apollo 13's LOX tank exploded because *Teflon* ignited in LOX (albeit
after being somewhat degraded by an earlier episode of prolonged accidental
baking).

Odd, last I ever read was that voltage issue causing overheating, mentioned
here:
 http://www.space.com/8193-caused-apollo-13-accident.html
PTFE igniting?
jd




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