Page 16 - 200303 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2003

16 The Dangers of Shuttle Debris The Dangers of Shuttle Debris 16 Four compounds from days, so a victim might be unaware he or planning, test discipline, manufacturing Four compounds from shuttle can harm on she has been exposed until it is too late processes and procedures, and quality shuttle can harm on control. With these changes, the overall for treatment. contact People who suspect contact with safety of the command and service contact the chemical are urged to flush their body module and the lunar module was ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Four and clothes with large amounts of water, increased substantially. The AS-204 compounds used on the space shuttle and, if necessary, remove their clothing mission was redesignated Apollo I . Columbia could pose an immediate and bathe with soap and water at least 15 Virgil Ivan hazard to people on the ground, a minutes. Eyes should be held open and Grissom NASA spokeswoman said Sunday. flushed with water for at least as long. Born April 3, People who suspect contact should be 1926, Mitchell, The deadliest chemical of the four taken to a hospital or doctor as soon as Indiana. Died would not provide any warning to possible. January 27, 1967 someone who touched it, according to Pure ammonia is a clear liquid at in the Apollo 204 toxicology databases. normal temperatures with a pungent fire at Cape Was Kennedy. The compounds are: two forms of smell. It was used as a coolant to remove married, two hydrazine, nitrogen tetroxide and a pure heat from the electrical systems on the children. form of ammonia. orbiter engines. It can blister a person's Education: B.S. Raw hydrazine fueled the shuttle's lungs if it is inhaled and can cause death in mechanical auxiliary power units, which generated in high concentrations. [End] engineering, Purdue University, 1950. hydraulic pressure for various functions Spaceflights: Command pilot, Mercury- Apollo 1 Tragedy Redstone 4 (1961) and Gemini 3 (1965). in the shuttle. Apollo 1 Tragedy Another form of the chemical, Edward monomethyl hydrazine, fueled the Higgins shuttle's maneuvering systems while it White, II was in space, said Randy Azera, a former Born November 14, 1930, San NASA engineer and consultant to CNN. Antonio, Texas. Both forms of hydrazine are clear, Died January 27, flammable liquids. They can irritate the 1967 in the eyes, skin and respiratory system and Apollo 204 fire at cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, Cape Kennedy. convulsions and permanent damage to Was married, two children. internal organs. They are considered Education: B.S., "immediately dangerous to life" at a U.S. Military Academy, 1952. M.S. in concentration of 50 parts per million. aeronautical engineering, University of They are not considered to have Michigan, 1959. warning signs of contact but can be On January 27, 1967, tragedy Spaceflights: Pilot, Gemini 4 (1965). detected in the blood of an exposed struck the Apollo program when a flash Roger Bruce person. fire occurred in command module 012 Chaffee Anyone who suspects contact with during a launch pad test of the Born February the chemicals is urged to seek medical Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being 15, 1935, Grand Rapids, help. Flushing with water for at least 15 prepared for the first piloted flight, the Michigan. Died minutes is recommended after suspected AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. January 27, 1967 contact. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of in the Apollo 204 Nitrogen tetroxide and Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. fire at Cape monomethyl hydrazine are "hypergolic" Edward H. White, the astronaut who had Kennedy. Was propellants, meaning they ignite performed the first United States married, two children. spontaneously when they come in contact extravehicular activity during the Gemini with each other, a useful property for program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an Education: B.S. in aeronautical engineering, maneuvering systems. astronaut preparing for his first space Purdue University, 1957. Nitrogen tetroxide is a reddish- flight, died in this tragic accident. Spaceflights: None brown gas at room temperature and has a A seven-member board, under the "pungent, sweetish" smell, according to direction of the NASA Langley Research experts. Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, It can injure the eyes and skin on conducted a comprehensive investigation contact, and, if inhaled, can damage the to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final lungs. report, completed in April 1967 was A single exposure can prove fatal, subsequently submitted to the NASA but only high concentrations produce Administrator. The report presented the immediate symptoms. results of the investigation and made Warning signs of contact might not specific recommendations that led to “You will always be in our thoughts and our appear for hours after exposure, and major design and engineering prayers. Thank-you for what you have given extreme symptoms might not show up for modifications, and revisions to test us. May mankind learn from your example.” S. Scott, Cambridge, Mass.