The Space Shuttle’s Luckiest Escape

Summary

The video script recounts a perilous space mission where the Space Shuttle Columbia, carrying the Chandra Observatory Telescope, faced two critical malfunctions. Despite a leaking engine and an electrical issue, sheer luck and a fortuitous sensor error in the backup computer balanced the oxygen consumption, averting disaster. The shuttle reached orbit and successfully deployed the telescope, highlighting the importance of resilience and adaptability in space travel.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The space shuttle was on a perilous journey with multiple life-threatening issues starting almost immediately after liftoff.
• 🔥 Fuel leakage from the right engine began due to a metal pin dislodging and damaging the engine nozzle, causing liquid hydrogen to escape.
• 💻 Engine control computers went offline due to an electrical supply failure, which was unrelated to the fuel leak but contributed to the mission's danger.
• 🛰️ The mission carried the Chandra Observatory Telescope, the heaviest payload ever launched by the shuttle, which strained its weight capacity.
• ⚙️ Engine 2019, with a history of cracks in its liquid oxygen posts, was used despite the risks, highlighting a cost-saving measure by NASA.
• 🛑 The shuttle's sensors failed to detect the fuel leak, but they did notice a lower chamber pressure, leading to an automatic increase in liquid oxygen flow.
• 🔌 An electrical short circuit caused by a worn wire against a sharp screw set off warnings, mistakenly indicating a problem with the fuel cells.
• 🔄 The loss of the backup computer for the right engine and the main computer for the center engine led to an unexpected balancing act in engine control.
• ⚖️ The faulty pressure sensor on the right engine's backup computer inadvertently helped by signaling a high-pressure reading, reducing the flow of liquid oxygen.
• 🎯 Despite the initial issues, the shuttle reached orbit with minimal speed variance, allowing for successful deployment of the Chandra Telescope.
• 🌐 The mission's outcome was a testament to luck and the interplay of multiple malfunctions that, by coincidence, prevented a complete disaster.

Q & A

What was the dangerous journey that the space shuttle was about to embark on?

The space shuttle was on a mission to launch the Chandra Observatory Telescope, which was the largest and heaviest payload ever carried by a shuttle, putting the mission over the weight limit and leading to a series of critical issues.

What were the two major problems the space shuttle faced shortly after liftoff?

The two major problems were a fuel leak from the right engine due to a metal pin puncturing the engine nozzle, and an unrelated electrical issue that caused a short circuit, knocking out some instruments and engine control computers.

Why was the space shuttle's right engine burning through liquid oxygen too quickly?

The right engine was burning through liquid oxygen too quickly because the onboard computers automatically started pumping more liquid oxygen into the engine to compensate for the lower chamber pressure caused by the fuel leak, which went undetected by the sensors.

How did the electrical problem inadvertently help the space shuttle's situation?

The electrical problem caused a short circuit that led to the failure of the backup computer for the right engine and the main computer for the center engine. This resulted in the center engine using less liquid oxygen than normal, which balanced out the excessive consumption by the right engine and prevented the shuttle from running out of liquid oxygen.

What was the significance of the Chandra Observatory Telescope being the heaviest payload ever launched by the shuttle?

The weight of the Chandra Observatory Telescope required the mission to be adjusted to stay within the shuttle's weight limit, including reducing the crew size, using a lighter external tank, and swapping out main engines for lighter ones, which contributed to the engine issues encountered during the mission.

What was the role of the small metal pin in the right engine's fuel leak?

The small metal pin was placed to deactivate the cracked liquid oxygen posts in the engine. However, during the launch, one of these pins worked its way loose and shot into the combustion chamber, puncturing the engine nozzle and causing a fuel leak.

How did the shuttle's onboard computers respond to the lower chamber pressure in the right engine?

The onboard computers automatically increased the flow of liquid oxygen into the right engine to restore the chamber pressure to the correct level, inadvertently exacerbating the fuel leak issue.

What was the impact of the electrical short circuit on the shuttle's engine control?

The electrical short circuit caused by the exposed wire rubbing against an overtightened screw led to the loss of the backup computer for the right engine and the main computer for the center engine, which affected the engine control and contributed to the balance of liquid oxygen consumption.

How did the malfunctioning pressure sensor in the backup computer influence the engine's operation?

The malfunctioning pressure sensor in the backup computer sent an abnormally high pressure reading, which, without the main computer to counterbalance it, caused the engine to reduce the flow of liquid oxygen, thus inadvertently compensating for the excessive consumption by the right engine.

What was the final outcome of the space shuttle's mission despite the challenges faced?

Despite the challenges, the space shuttle was able to reach orbit and successfully deploy the Chandra Telescope. The main engines were not needed for the rest of the mission, allowing the shuttle and its crew to return to Earth safely.

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