Report of the PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION
on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
Volume 5 Index
Hearings of the Presidential
Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident: February 26,
1986 to May 2, 1986.
FEBRUARY 27, 1986 SESSION
[1089] [Ref. 3/7-17]
Orbiter wreckage?. [see Volume 3, appendix O, page O382- Chris
Gamble, html editor].
![Orbiter wreckage?. [see Volume 3, appendix O, page O382- Chris Gamble, html editor].](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/rogersrep/v5p1089.jpg)
[Ref. 3/7-18] Preliminary estimates.
PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES
- THE ORBITER MOCK-UP OF AVAILABLE WRECKAGE
(APPROXIMATELY 10%) INDICATES A CATASTROPHIC INFLIGHT BREAKUP DUE
TO A COMBINATION OF BLAST EFFECT AND AERODYNAMIC OVERLOADS.
- THE EXTERNAL TANK MOCK-UP OF AVAILABLE
WRECKAGE (APPROXIMATELY 8%) INDICATES A COMPLETE INFLIGHT
CATASTROPHIC BREAKUP DUE TO STRUCTURAL OVERLOAD, BASED UPON
PRELIMINARY MACROSCOPIC FRACTURE SURFACE PROPAGATION FAILURE
ANALYSIS.
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