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Questions tagged [shuttle-challenger]

The space shuttle Orbiter Challenger (OV-099) was the second US shuttle to fly in space.

Originally built as a structural test article, it was converted into a spaceworthy Orbiter.

It launched on space missions 10 times between April 1983 and January 1986. On its last mission STS-51L it was destroyed during first stage ascent.

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"Reading 486" air speed from Challenger disaster: What units?

Some of the last words from the doomed Challenger crew were "reading 486," which the Boston Globe describes as a routine air speed callout. Would this be vehicle speed relative to the air, or would it be the speed of the air itself? What units would…
user36480
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Challenger "What if ?" regarding the SRB plume facing AWAY from the ET

If the plume on the SRB been facing away from the external tank, could the disaster had been averted ? Wouldn't one SRB exhaust its fuel before the other and as such, would a return to site been necessary ? (Or even attempted)
Rusty Shackleford
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