Apollo 4 Essay Research Paper Apollo 4Introduction — страница 2

about faulty O-rings by August 1985 that they should have ordered discontinuation of flights. The shuttle rocketed away from the icicle laden launch pad, carrying a New Hampshire school teacher, NASA’s first citizen in space. It was the worst accident in the history of NASA in nearly 25 years. 11:38 a.m. cape time, the main engine ignition followed by clouds of smoke and flame came from the solid fuel rocket boosters. Unknown to anyone in the cabin or on the ground, there was a jet of flame around the giant orange fuel tank coming from the right-hand booster rocket. Seventy-three seconds after lift-off the Challenger suddenly disappeared amid a cataclysmic explosion which ripped the fuel tank from nose to tail (Timothy 441). The explosion occured as Challenger was 10.35 miles

high and 8.05 miles downrange from the cape, speeding toward space at 1,977 mph. Lost along with the $1.2 billion spacecraft were a $100 million satellite that was to have becooome an important part of NASA’s communications network (Associated Press 217). Pictures taken revealed that even after the enormous explosion occurred the cockpit remained somewhat intact. Aerodynamic pressure exerted on the human passengers would have killed anyone who survived the explosion. The remains of the shuttle were spread over miles of ocean. Over half were recovered. In comparison, both disasters were preventable. Both disasters had a main explosion or malfunction, but even if there were survivors they would have died because there was no escape. The Challenger disaster was mainly a lot of

people wanting to get better jobs and more money, or simply to get on the good side of someone. The Apollo 4 had many problems which should have been caught. Conclusion Apollo 4 had many deficiencies: loose, shoddy wiring, excessive use of combustible materials in spite of a 100 percent oxygen atmosphere, inadequate provisions for rescue, and a three layer, ninety plus second hatch. The Challenger had faulty O-rings, icicles, and bad management which threatened to bring the entire american astronaut program to an end. Over a billion dollars was lost all together. Both disasters could have been prevented if the time, effort, and funding was spent. Many people involved in both disasters were either lazy or greedy. Works Cited Biel, Timothy L. The Challenger. San Diego: Lucent

Books, Inc. 1990. Murray, Charles A. Apollo, the Race to the Moon. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989. Appel, Fred and Wolleck, James. The Marshall Cavendish Illustrated Encyclopedia of Discovery and Expedition. Vol. 16. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1990. Bond, Peter. Heroes in Space. New York: Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1987. Associated Press. Moments in Space. New York: Gallery Books, 1986. Encarta. Challenger Disaster. Encyclopedia Cd-rom. Funk and Wagnell’s Corporation, 1983. Burton, Jonathon “The Haunting Legacy of the Challenger.” Scholastic Update. December 4, 1992: 10,11