http://defensetech.org/2007/02/27/god-slides-shuttle-launch-to-the-right/ The Future of the Military, Law Enforcement and National Security Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://defensetech.org/2007/02/27/god-slides-shuttle-launch-to-the-right/#comment-157079 j house Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:53:45 +0000 http://deftech.usmilblog.com/?p=3518#comment-157079 The ET is covered in foam to keep the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen within the ET cold and insulated, like a big thermos bottle. The hydrogen fuel and lox must be under pressure to keep in a liquid state and it is very, very cold.If it isn't properly insulated, it will warm up, turn to gas and have to be vented off, wasting fuel. The foam is almost the same quality and consistency as surfboard foam. Light, porous and easily shaped with a planer.It is applied as a liquid and hardens to a brittle foam. Recall a piece the size of a briefcase punctured the RCC leading edge of the Columbia which caused the loss of that orbiter. The ET is covered in foam to keep the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen within the ET cold and insulated, like a big thermos bottle. The hydrogen fuel and lox must be under pressure to keep in a liquid state and it is very, very cold.If it isn’t properly insulated, it will warm up, turn to gas and have to be vented off, wasting fuel.
The foam is almost the same quality and consistency as surfboard foam. Light, porous and easily shaped with a planer.It is applied as a liquid and hardens to a brittle foam. Recall a piece the size of a briefcase punctured the RCC leading edge of the Columbia which caused the loss of that orbiter.

]]> http://defensetech.org/2007/02/27/god-slides-shuttle-launch-to-the-right/#comment-157077 Macaca Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:03:31 +0000 http://deftech.usmilblog.com/?p=3518#comment-157077 Is this layer of foam easily damaged? Like the thermo-tiles on the orbiter? I understand rocket-science is, well, rocket-science, but why is it the whole space shuttle system looks so extremely fragile? Or is it just the old 'risk= chance*cost' again? Is this layer of foam easily damaged? Like the thermo-tiles on the orbiter? I understand rocket-science is, well, rocket-science, but why is it the whole space shuttle system looks so extremely fragile? Or is it just the old ‘risk= chance*cost’ again?

]]> http://defensetech.org/2007/02/27/god-slides-shuttle-launch-to-the-right/#comment-157076 Ward Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:36:48 +0000 http://deftech.usmilblog.com/?p=3518#comment-157076 RTLM: This from Justine Whitman over at aerospaceweb.org: "As the Space Shuttle rises through the atmosphere, the outer surface of the tank is heated by friction with the external air that rushes past the vehicle at very high speeds. A thermal insulation coating is needed on the outer surface to maintain a constant temperature inside. Without this insulation, the cryogenic fuels would become warmer and start to convert back into a gas, raising the pressure inside the tank and possibly causing it to disintegrate. The thermal insulation is a 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick polyisocyanurate foam sprayed on the outer surface of the tank. "This insulation is also important for reducing the formation of ice on the outside of the tank while it is sitting on the pad prior to launch. Ice has always been one of the greatest concerns of NASA engineers since it would likely fall off the tank during launch and could impact the Orbiter. Large chunks of ice can be very heavy and dense, so any impacts against the heat tiles on the lower surface of the Orbiter could easily damage these critical surfaces." RTLM:
This from Justine Whitman over at aerospaceweb.org: “As the Space Shuttle rises through the atmosphere, the outer surface of the tank is heated by friction with the external air that rushes past the vehicle at very high speeds. A thermal insulation coating is needed on the outer surface to maintain a constant temperature inside. Without this insulation, the cryogenic fuels would become warmer and start to convert back into a gas, raising the pressure inside the tank and possibly causing it to disintegrate. The thermal insulation is a 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick polyisocyanurate foam sprayed on the outer surface of the tank.
“This insulation is also important for reducing the formation of ice on the outside of the tank while it is sitting on the pad prior to launch. Ice has always been one of the greatest concerns of NASA engineers since it would likely fall off the tank during launch and could impact the Orbiter. Large chunks of ice can be very heavy and dense, so any impacts against the heat tiles on the lower surface of the Orbiter could easily damage these critical surfaces.”

]]> http://defensetech.org/2007/02/27/god-slides-shuttle-launch-to-the-right/#comment-61112 RTLM Wed, 28 Feb 2007 09:09:07 +0000 http://deftech.usmilblog.com/?p=3518#comment-61112 Why exactly is it that the Space Shuttle fuel tank is coated in this foam ? Why exactly is it that the Space Shuttle fuel tank is coated in this foam ?

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