Fixing NASA Space Shuttle Foam

GuvamintCheese

Is this going to ground the NASA Shuttle program indefinitly? I know there are some experts on this site, and was wondering your take on how to make the Insulting Foam on the liquid fuel tank adhere.

forthhorseman

I imagine they'll actually have a solution pretty quickly and then they'll reinstate flight ops. Probably in time for the next planned shuttle flight which actually hasn't even been scheduled yet. I think the "indefinite grounding" is largely a symbolic means for NASA to show off how safety conscious they are now since the Columbia disaster just like aborting the original launch of Discovery because of the fuel sensor failure. There are 4 of those fuel sensors and they really only need 2 working ones to fly but since their increased safety protocols, they up'd it to all 4 having to be working.

jdyer

The current foam is made of dyflesmic muconium, which has a low coefficient of friction and heat expansion. Unfortunately, the surface is nonporous and adhesion to the tank is difficult. The solution is to use a nitrin agrate bonder which holds firmly in the porous conditions of the foam, but it is quite brittle at low temps. Low temps is relative, but the estophus stability factor (brittleness) is around 285 degreed Fahr. The tank surface sensors are damaged at temps above 300 fahr. So, the problem is to keep the tank surface temp under the foam above 285 and below 300 at takeoff. The sensors are only needed in the first few seconds of takeoff so high temps are ok after that. This is sometimes difficult and is a worry everytime a shuttle launches. Some of the debris of this last takeoff may have been from a dip below 285 prior to takeoff. I believe most shuttles will be grounded until an alternative bonding agent can be applied to shuttles; available but expensive to retrofit. (This is all b.s., I was really bored)

Screw Allah & Have a Great Day!

dolfan

As an amateur rocket scientist, I proposed a solution to NASA on how to solve this crucial bonding problem.

They never replied to my suggestion of wrapping the whole Shuttle with duct tape.[:(]

GuvamintCheese

quote:Originally posted by jdyer

The current foam is made of dyflesmic muconium, which has a low coefficient of friction and heat expansion. Unfortunately, the surface is nonporous and adhesion to the tank is difficult. The solution is to use a nitrin agrate bonder which holds firmly in the porous conditions of the foam, but it is quite brittle at low temps. Low temps is relative, but the estophus stability factor (brittleness) is around 285 degreed Fahr. The tank surface sensors are damaged at temps above 300 fahr. So, the problem is to keep the tank surface temp under the foam above 285 and below 300 at takeoff. The sensors are only needed in the first few seconds of takeoff so high temps are ok after that. This is sometimes difficult and is a worry everytime a shuttle launches. Some of the debris of this last takeoff may have been from a dip below 285 prior to takeoff. I believe most shuttles will be grounded until an alternative bonding agent can be applied to shuttles; available but expensive to retrofit. (This is all b.s., I was really bored)

Screw Allah & Have a Great Day!



I didnt read it! but it was funny!

BOBBYWINS

Dammit dolfan!!

That's what I was gonna suggest!

BUT!!Duct tape ain't gonna work unless
ya reinforce it with balin' wire.[;)]

Damned amatures.[V]

[:D]

BW

IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.

fugawe

Red/Green says, "Nuthin a little chicken wire and spackle won't fix!"

99% of all lawyers make the rest look bad.