We were gathered around the TV to watch the launch...It made for a really long day. Lots of suspense as so little hard information was known by anybody not directly at the launch site.
FWIW, a spinoff from that tragic event was the development of Nomex.
Actually, the suit in use for Apollo I did contain Nomex, but it didn't matter in the pure oxygen environment of the capsule. The fire was so intense that the suits basically melted, along with the oxygen lines feeding the astronauts. After the tragedy, a new suit was developed that was covered in Teflon.
Still a space geek. I've got Richmond Times Dispatch front pages with every Apollo launch. I still get weepy at launches. I do NOT have a television, but go visit people just for launches, recoveries, dockings, etc. Read Spider Robinson's latest book "Callahan's Key" and the chapter on space geeks viewing a shuttle launch, live.
I remember Chaffee, Grissom, and White every year, during prayers of the people, on the Sunday closest to their deaths.
That was a test sequence, not a planned launch. And "it's a rough road to the stars" is a pretty inelegant translation; "Through trouble to the stars" is about literal.
In pure oxygen at > 1 atmosphere pressure, flesh itself is flammable. Only the limited amount of O2 available for the fire kept them only severely burnt instead of being completely consumed.
We were gathered around the TV to watch the launch...It made for a really long day. Lots of suspense as so little hard information was known by anybody not directly at the launch site.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, a spinoff from that tragic event was the development of Nomex.
Art
Actually, the suit in use for Apollo I did contain Nomex, but it didn't matter in the pure oxygen environment of the capsule. The fire was so intense that the suits basically melted, along with the oxygen lines feeding the astronauts. After the tragedy, a new suit was developed that was covered in Teflon.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was a big space geek growing up. ;)
Still a space geek. I've got Richmond Times Dispatch front pages with every Apollo launch. I still get weepy at launches. I do NOT have a television, but go visit people just for launches, recoveries, dockings, etc. Read Spider Robinson's latest book "Callahan's Key" and the chapter on space geeks viewing a shuttle launch, live.
ReplyDeleteI remember Chaffee, Grissom, and White every year, during prayers of the people, on the Sunday closest to their deaths.
Hunter
Alaska
That was a test sequence, not a planned launch. And "it's a rough road to the stars" is a pretty inelegant translation; "Through trouble to the stars" is about literal.
ReplyDeleteIn pure oxygen at > 1 atmosphere pressure, flesh itself is flammable. Only the limited amount of O2 available for the fire kept them only severely burnt instead of being completely consumed.
ReplyDelete