#11
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They used 100% because they were so smart, they forgot take a deep breath and allow common sense to seep back into their brains. There is no excuse for 100% because almost everything becomes fuel in that environment, even a lot of stuff that's normally very hard to burn. If they wanted to do a leak test at high pressure while occupied, use the regular 21/78 or have them put their helmets on and use pure nitrogen in the cabin to eliminate the possibility all together. It's not like they didn't have plenty of it! The Soviets used oxy/nitrogen in their capsules from the beginning because they had a fire and lost a man in early testing. Unfortunately, their secrecy cost us three lives. .
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#12
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After what happened with Gus's hatch on Liberty Bell 7 was the main factor in that decision from what I've read. There was real concern about getting a hatch that size to seal for the length of a lunar mission, and if they had a problem, being so far away from home was not good. Using an inward-opening hatch would use the pressure inside the spacecraft to actually force the hatch tighter against the seals; and outward opening hatch internal pressure would force the hatch away from the seals. The idea of needing to open it rapidly in an emergency and that such an emergency would involve higher pressure inside the vehicle than outside didn't enter the equation, unfortunately. There were a LOT more problems and bigger problems with the Block 1 Apollos and the Apollo 1 CM in particular. The thing was practically carpeted inside with velcro, and the wiring had been worn badly in places from guys climbing in and out of it constantly making repairs. Couple that with a 100% pure oxygen atmosphere at 20 something PSI on the ground in full gravity, and it was a bomb sitting on the pad. They had been having SO many problems with the capsule, and particularly the comms, that Deke Slayton, head of the astronaut office at the time, had actually offered to sit in the capsule with them for the plugs-out test that would lead to the Apollo 1 fire. Gus considered it and then told him "no" because he would have had to sit behind/below their feet in the "equipment bay" (under the seats) of the Apollo for the entire duration of the test-- about 12 hours or so. It was fortunate that Deke wasn't in the capsule or there would have been four dead astronauts... Later! OL J R
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#13
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Apollo 1 was actually OVERpressurized to about 24 PSI, IIRC... they wanted to verify the seal of the hatch as part of the plugs-out test. Pure oxygen at those pressures is practically a bomb in itself-- ANY spark or combustion would be a RAGING inferno instantly... couple that with frayed wiring from excessive ingress/egress of repair crews working on the spacecraft systems and a cabin loaded with velcro all over the place, and it was a bomb waiting to go off. Later! OL J R
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#14
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As I mentioned later in the post, "high pressure test". It was at 16.7 psi at the time of the fire. That pressure was used to simulate the amount of stress on the capsule at it's lower cabin pressure while in the vacuum of space. .
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#15
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My uncle was there at the time. He was with Quality Control and quit after that because he had warned them about using 100% oxygen.
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#16
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A man with common sense, your uncle. IIRC, the astronauts were wary of the block 1 and did complain a little, but none would put their foot down and demand anything be done for fear they would be pulled off flight status. I imagine there were some other NASA and North American folks that had common sense but were ignored or were afraid of losing their jobs if they raised a stink. Looks fairly parallel to the Thiokol SRB flaws, warnings, and heads in the sand before Challenger.
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#17
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Anytime you have political bureaucrats in charge of a scientific agency that puts pressure on artificial/arbitrary deadlines there will be a negative impact up to and including needless death.
To be truly effective NASA needs a Constitutionally mandated budget that is independent of politicians.
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#18
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Here is a relevant article which landed in my email in-basket today.
Slideshow: 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 1 Fire Doug .
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#19
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Never! That would merely make them more bureaucratic and unaccountable. Not About Space Anymore If they get something done, that is just incidental to keeping bureaucrats employed. |
#20
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How did this thread get sent in this direction?
I meant this as a rememberence. I am very dissapointed. I guess I shouldn't be too suprised given the current mood of the country.
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