System function aspects of the first Space Shuttle mission are assessed. Almost 90 mission anomalies have been identified by a mission evaluation team, which were variously attributed to instrumentation sensor failures, improper operation, or design deficiencies. The two most significant problems encountered were Solid Rocket Booster ignition wave overpressure, which exceeded maximum expected pressure by a factor of 2:1 over most of the Orbiter and 5:1 at a sensor location on the aft bulkhead, near the engines, and an inoperative tumble valve, which would normally have imparted to the Space Shuttle External Tank a tumbling motion, after Tank separation, that insures disintegration of the large structure during reentry. The first problem has been solved by strengthening six support struts, and the second by ensuring that the tumble valve is moisture-free.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Space Shuttle flight results


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium ; 1982 ; Los Angeles, CA


    Publication date :

    1982-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Space shuttle orbiter reusable surface insulation flight results

    Dotts, R. L. / Smith, J. A. / Tillian, D. J. | NTRS | 1983


    Space Shuttle flight operations.

    Carlton, R. L. | NTRS | 1973


    Results of the ACCESS space construction Shuttle flight experiment

    Heard, W. L., Jr. / Watson, J. J. / Ross, J. L. et al. | NTRS | 1986


    Results of the ACCESS space construction Shuttle flight experiment

    HEARD, JR., W. / WATSON, J. / ROSS, J. et al. | AIAA | 1986


    Space Shuttle orbital flight test

    Slayton, D. K. | NTRS | 1979