NASA Studies Hairline Cracks In Fuel Tank Foam | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-10.07.24

Airborne-NextGen-10.08.24

Airborne-Unlimited-10.02.24

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-10.03.24

Airborne-Unlimited-10.04.24

Thu, Nov 24, 2005

NASA Studies Hairline Cracks In Fuel Tank Foam

Latest Mystery In Quest To Solve Insulation Problems

It's one step forward, two steps back lately for NASA, as officials announced Tuesday they have still not figured out what caused the loss of insulating foam from the external fuel tank on this summer's flight of Discovery -- although a new problem found with another tank may provide a clue.

A series of nine hairline cracks found on another tank, originally meant to be used on Discovery's flight, may provide scientists with a clue of how the expansion and contraction of the fuel tank's ultra-thin metal skin is transferred to the foam coating -- and, if those cracks are big enough to cause a breach in the insulating covering.

"We're trying to come to grips with what that means," said shuttle program manager N. Wayne Hale Jr, in a Los Angeles Times story.

While the cracks -- which appeared after the tank was filled with supercooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen this summer -- point to a new issue to be addressed, NASA has made several positive gains in dealing with other potential areas of concern.

As had been extensively reported in Aero-News, scientists have found several areas on the external tank where the chances of a foam breach have, at least, been minimized. NASA also believes it has solved two problems that crept up during the Discovery flight: a fraying insulating blanket under the commander's window, and two protruding spacer strips between tiles on the shuttle's underside.

One hundred insulating blankets found to have weak stitching have been replaced on Discovery, and its sister ship Atlantis. A new method of applying adhesive to the tile gap fillers is also currently being tested.

Some NASA officials have played down the possibility that the cracks in the tank's insulation were related to the problem of falling foam, including NASA's External Tank Manager John Chapman.

"We haven't found any Eurekas or smoking guns," he said.

Nor has NASA found the one surefire way to guarantee Discovery will be able to launch next May, as was originally planned. The timetable was intended to utilize the proper launch window to allow Discovery to dock with the ISS, and bring home its current crew.

"We're not driving to a calendar, to a date set arbitrarily," Hale said.

FMI: www.nasa.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.05.24): Final Approach Fix

Final Approach Fix The fix from which the final approach (IFR) to an airport is executed and which identifies the beginning of the final approach segment. It is designated on Gover>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.05.24)

Aero Linx: South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA) The South Carolina Aviation Association is the only state-affiliated group for aviation professionals and enthusiasts. ere are>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Champion 7GCBC

The Wreckage Exhibited Signatures Consistent With A High Angle, Nose Down Impact On September 13, 2024, about 0803 Alaska daylight time (AKDT), a Champion (Citabria) 7GCBC, N8CK, w>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Scion Helicopter’s Vixen SH-410

From Oshkosh 2024 (YouTube Vedition): The Composite, Carbon Fiber Helicopter Kit Aero-News Network correspondent Rex Alexander saw a new addition to the light helicopter market at >[...]

Airborne 10.02.24: Piper Wing Spar NPRM, Gogo Buys Satcom, Deadstick Drug Bust

Also: Former FAA Contractor Indicted, SpaceX Grounds Falcon, Buh-Bye KC-10, Sustainable Aviation Caucus The FAA has issued an NPRM that will expand the models of Piper aircraft tha>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC