12
University Daily Kansan
Nation/World
Thursday, April 10, 1986
Challenger nose section hit intact
United Press International
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle CHALLENGER's nose section with seven astronauts inside captured the free of the main body of the shuttle and plumbed into a large chunk, a federal investigator said yesterday.
Terry Armentrout of the National Transportation Safety Board said that contrary to photographic evidence, the shuttle apparently was not blown to bits by the explosion of its external fuel tank on Jan. 28.
"The optics were deceiving in some regard because it appeared to all of us initially that there was a huge explosion and everything came down in tiny fragments," he said at a news conference.
Physical evidence indicates that the ship survived the initial fireball and broke apart because of tortuous aerodynamic forces and apparent collisions between the ship's faulty right booster rocket, the external tank and the shuttle's right wing. The left wing has not been found.
"We see evidence of aerodynamic breakup of the entire orbiter," Armentrout said later in a hangar-like building where wreckage from the shuttle is analyzed to trace the sequence of events after the explosion.
A National Aeronautics and Space Administration videotape of the fatal flight suggested that the forward part of the shuttle emerged from the fireball but then was battered by an explosion of
system in its nose.
But investigators were surprised to find undamaged fuel tanks from that forward rocket system.
on-board rocket fuel in its "reaction control system" in its nose.
syA
Armenian trout said, "We have no evidence the RCS
exploded in flight."
Standing in front of a large piece of Challenger's outer skin that once surrounded the reinforced crew cabin, Armentrout said that flames caused little damage to the nose section and that it apparently fell to the water in one large piece.
But he did not discuss how intact the nose section and crew cabin may have been before smashing into the water after breaking free during supersonic flight. It was not known at what point the astronauts died.
"The forward section of the orbiter was most likely broken off during the initial breakup that you've all seen," he said.
"You can see the thermal protective tiles are fairly smooth," he said. "All of our wet chemical samples that we've taken don't indicate that it went through a high degree of flame. There's no evidence of aluminum oxide on it indicating it was blasted by thermal effects."
He said the nose section did not "float down" from the sky like lighter pieces of debris.
it indicates that the outer shell did not fall all by itself and strike the water and sustain the damage that we have," he said. "It had to have some mass
inside. The obvious mass is the crew module."
Reporters report the wreckage were not allowed to view crew cabin debris and NASA refuses to discuss that aspect of the analysis or anything to do with the seven astronauts.
Six of the seven astronauts have been identified, but the remains of one crew member apparently have eluded recovery, the sources said. A huge salvage operation in the area where the cabin fell continued yesterday.
Sources close to the investigation said the cabin section hit the water on its left side and suffered massive impact damage, smashing into the ocean at 140 to 180 mph and leaving little of the wreckage clearly recognizable.
The primary objective of the salvage operation is recovery of debris from the suspect joint in the right-hand rocket booster that ruptured, triggering the disaster.
Armentrout said about 20 percent of the shuttle had been recovered to date. A preliminary report on the NTSB findings will be presented to the presidential disaster commission today in Huntsville, Ala., along with NASA's preliminary findings on the cause of the accident.
Armentrout said that evidence indicated the nose of the right-hand booster pivoted into the top of the external tank and that its rear may have crashed into the shuttle's right wing after it ripped away from the base of the tank.
French teacher missing in Lebanon
United Press International
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Police are investigating the possibility that a French teacher yesterday became the ninth French kidnap victim held hostage in war-torn Lebanon.
French literature teacher Michel Brian, 45, was last seen Tuesday night by a colleague who accompanied him from work at west Beirut's Protestant College to within a few blocks of his home, diplomatic sources said.
he did not arrive for classes yesterday, becoming the third
foreign teacher to disappear in 12 days in Beirut. Eight other French citizens, as well as six Americans, are missing in Lebanon.
"We are investigating the disappearance of Mr. Brian, and our men are looking for him," Beirut Police Chief Brig said.
Lebanese professors at the Protestant College called for the release of Brian, saying the act was aimed at emptying west Beirut of all educational institutions. Many Muslim students attend the college.
which is the last place two British teachers were seen March 28. No claims of responsibility have been received for any of the incidents.
Brian's apartment is two blocks from the Back Street clubhall,
A British Embassy spokesman said it was not clear whether the latest disappearance was related to the fate of Britons John Leigh Douglas, 35, a professor at the American University of Beirut, and language teacher Philip Padfield, 45.
Brian, who is from the French city of Grenoble, has taught literature at the Protestant College since 1980 and was to take a job in Lyons, France, at the end of the year, colleagues said
There are about 100 French nationals in west Beirut.
"We are not ruling out the possibility that the man has been kidnapped," a police source said. A total of 46 foreigners have been kidnapped in west Beirut since January 1984, and 17 are still missing.
A four-man French television crew that came to Beirut to cover efforts to free four hostages was seized by gunmen March 12 in the capital, which has been torn by 11 years of civil war between rival Christian and Muslim militias.
ALTERNATIVE AUCTION Tune in Tonight
presents
The University of Kansas School of Law Stephenson Lectures in Law and Government
The Honorable William J. Brennan, Jr. Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
"Today's Challenge to the New Lawyer"
Friday, April 11 2 p.m.
Woodruff Auditorium-Kansas Union
TOSHIBA
P1340
THE QUALITY PRINTER
$499 was $799 while supply lasts ONLY
24 Pin Head Produces Letter Quality with Head Speed.
Superb Graphics. Compatible with most computers.
TOSHIBA
IN ONE
A Formal Gambling Event Gentlemen And Ladles $2.00 each Featuring Dance Music and Live Entertainment
"KU on Wheels will be conducting route hearings for the 1986-1987 school year on Thursday, April 10, 1986 at 6:30 P.M. Please stop by the Student Senate office to complete a route change request form and schedule an appointment if you want to make a presentation to the Transportation Board. The Student Senate office is located on the third floor of the Kansas Union B105. The telephone number is 864-3710."
"KU on Wheels is a service of the KU Student Senate."
Postponing nuclear test U.S. tactic, Soviets say
United Press International
MOSCOW — The Soviet Union, apparently surprised by the abrupt postponement of a U.S. nuclear test, yesterday charged that the delay was only a tactic and warned that more testing could endanger a U.S.-Soviet summit.
The official Novosti news agency, commenting 20 hours after U.S. officials said a test had been canceled, was the only Soviet media outlet to comment on the postponement.
Pravda, the widely read Communist Party newspaper, was silent, as was the afternoon Izvestia and Soviet television.
Veteran Kremlin watchers said the Soviets were taken by surprise
bv the cancellation.
The United States on Tuesday canceled a scheduled test in Nevada but made no official announcement about why it was halted. Sources at the Department of Energy said it was delayed due to high winds and would take place when weather permitted.
Referring to U.S. plans for more testing, Novosti said improvement in U.S.-Soviet relations was impossible without real steps toward curtailment of nuclear tests.
The Soviet Union has been unilaterally observing a ban on nuclear testing for eight months
"The U.S. administration has made a mere tactical change in its testing schedule without abandoning the program altogether," Novosti said.
BRAND NEW
SUNRISE VILLAGE
OPEN HOUSE Saturday & Sunday, April 12 & 13 From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in and see these brand new
Drop in and see these brand new jumpyards
housetwohouses
luxury townhouses.
Featuring:
* 1460 sq. ft. * 2½ baths
* 3 bedrooms * private garage
* tennis court & pool
6th & Lawrence
Lawrence Ave SI
(at the old Sunset Drive-in)
APARTMENTS
Studios
* Energy Efficient
* Quiet Natural Atmosphere
NOW LEASING FOR SUMMER & FALL
10-12 month leases
- Storage
- Free cable
* Water proof
Studios
* Energy Efficient
- Quiet Natural Atmosphere
* 10-12 month losses
- Water paid
- Free cable
- Pool and clubhouse facilities available
* Furniture available through Thompson-Crawley
CALL NOW TO RESERVE YOUR APARTMENT
- Pool and clubhouse facilities available
BULL PEN
What does a pitcher think when he sees activity in the Bull Ron?
What does a pitcher think when he sees activity in the Bull Pen?
.."I'm going to get mad at the coach because he doesn't trust me."
.."I've done my best, but that's not enough."
.."Hooray, relief's coming!"
.."I'd better bear down or I'm done."
Does life have a "bull pen" for you?
What are you going to do or think?
Lutheran Campus Ministry
1204 Oread
Sunday Worship: 10:30 a.m. 843-4948
843-4948
UNIVERSITY FILM SOCIETY
PRESENTS:
LOUISIE BROOKS
IN
G. W. PABST'S
pandora's
BOX
Advertising of Wadekins'
Adaptation of Wedekind's "1111"
"One of Padst's finest achievements" Lotte Eisner,
THE HAUNTED SCREEN
"A masterly touch"
THE SILENT CINEMA
SUNDAY, APRIL 13,
2 p.m.
300 STRONG HALL
Admissions$1.75
PANDORA'S BOX, 1928, Germany,
110 min. W/Music
INFO842-5592
1