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.
MARCH 21, 1986 SESSION. (part 2 of
2)
[1346] [Ref. 3/21-57]
Summary of Findings.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
- PROPULSION PERFORMANCE WAS WITHIN
PREDICTED LIMITS UNTIL 69 SECONDS
- RIGHT SRM PRESSURE BEGAN ANOMALY AT 60
SECONDS
- MINIMUM PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED PRESSURE
WAS EXCEEDED AT 69 SECONDS
- SRM HOLE OPENED AT 60 SECONDS AND GREW
TO 45 SQUARE INCHES
- MEASURED WINDS ALOFT, PROPULSION
RECONSTRUCTION AND AERO INCREMENTS BASED ON OBSERVED SRM LEAK
PLUME ENABLE:
- TRAJECTORY RECONSTRUCTION MATCHING BEST
ESTIMATED TRAJECTORY
- DYNAMICS SIMULATION HATCHING FLIGHT
DATA
- CONTROL SYSTEM WORKED PROPERLY UNTIL 72
SECONDS
- PARAMETERS WERE WITHIN LIMITS FROM
PREFLIGHT SIMULATION
- PARAMETERS WERE WITHIN FLIGHT
EXPERIENCE BEFORE 65 SECONDS
- SRM GIMBAL ANGLE DUTY CYCLE WAS LARGE
DUE TO WINDS ALOFT
S-13
[1347] [Ref. 3/21-58 1 of
2] Load Analyses.
LOADS ANALYSES
MARCH 21, 1996
R. RYAN
R-O
[1348] [Ref. 3/21-58 2 of
2] Objectives.
OBJECTIVES
- DETERMINE LOADS EXPERIENCED BY 51-L FOR
ALL FLIGHT EVENTS
- COMPARE TO EXPECTED AND DESIGN LOADS AND
DETERMINE IF EXCESSIVE OR UNUSUAL LOADS EXISTED
- DETERMINE FORCING FUNCTIONS FOR SPECIAL
DYNAMIC ANALYSIS
R-1
[Ref. 3/21-59] Flight
Events.
FLIGHT EVENTS
- ON PAD
- LIFTOFF
- PRE-IGNITION
- SSME BUILD-UP (TWANG)
- LIFTOFF TRANSIENT (SRB IGNITION THRU 10
SECONDS)
- IN-FLIGHT
- ROLL MANEUVER
- MAX "Q"
- 51-L EVENT (POST 58 SECONDS)
R-2
Back