posted 04-18-2003 08:00 AM
Charles Precourt appeared at the Naval War College in Newport, RI on Wednesday, April 16th as a guest lecturer.Precourt, an astronaut with four missions into space including two to the Mir Space Station, was NASA Chief Astronaut and now has been appointed ISS manager.
His lecture consisted of a slide presentation concerning both the Columbia accident and the critical logistical needs of the International Space Station (ISS).
There were three slides of extreme interest during the presentation.
The first slide was a structural diagram of the Columbia which showed the probable flow of the plasma jet through the shuttle as the left wing structure melted leading up to wing failure.
The aforementioned slide coupled with the next slide showing heat sensor data recorded by the OEX recorder, which was recovered from the wreckage, traces the path of the plasma flow through the shuttle structure.
Precourt noted that the damage to the left wheel landing system was extensive. The titanium built system was badly damaged by reentry heating. Charlie also noted that the right wheel landing system was virtually unharmed.
The wreckage search was nearing completion. That 80% of the debris field had been searched and approximately 30% of the shuttle had been recovered.
Precourt concluded his remarks on Columbia by stating that the preliminary conclusions were to have more cooperation between NASA and DOD imaging assets during shuttle flights for inspection. He said that if they had known of the extent of damage, then Columbia would have been powered down and a rescue attempt would have been made.
The final slide of interest concerned the ISS supply logistics. The graph showed the demand and resupply schedule for the ISS in the coming year.
The ISS is relying completely on the Russian Progress unmanned cargo ships for it's resupply until the shuttle is back on line. The Progress can only deliver 4,500lbs of the supplies to the ISS.
At this rate, unless the Progress schedule can be increased, the ISS may have to be powered down and abandoned in the early part of 2004.
The Russia and NASA are working to increase the pace of delivery. Unfortunately, NASA, by law, cannot pay the Russians cash to build more Progress cargo ships. It will be up to the other partners in the program maintain the logistical support to the ISS until the shuttle comes back on line.
Precourt, then concluded his lecture with more slides of the ISS and took questions from the audience.
Larry McGlynn