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FW: about that MIR fire
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 10:34:50 -0600
I seldom even read spam mail from my ex-husband, but this was so interesting that I'm actually forwarding it myself. Even a blind hog finds an acorn sometimes!
And for you filkers, I will be wearing my _Soviet_ Mir T-shirt Friday at Norwescon. And Ben and Susan will be with me wearing NASA Missions Operations Directorate jackets.
Judy Kay Craft
Forwarded mail
From: curtis[SMTP:mithra at bga.com]
//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Date: Thu, 27 Feb 97 17:08:18 -0600
> From: "Denise DiFilippo 244-4575" <difilipp at fdm.mdc.com>
> To: mithra at bga.com
> Subject: about that MIR fire
>
>
> Just thought you might find this interesting. The first part has
> mostly been in the newspapers, but the second part was news to
> me.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> > >
> > >SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHED ON MIR
> > >
> > > A problem with an oxygen-generating device on the Mir space
> > >station last night set off fire alarms and caused minor damage to
> > >some hardware on the station. No injuries to any of the six
> > >crewmembers on board were reported. The fire was located in the
> > >Kvant 1 module.
> > >
> > > The fire, which began at 10:35 p.m. Sunday, Moscow time,
> > >burned for about 90 seconds. The crew was exposed to heavy smoke
> > >for five to seven minutes and donned masks in response. After
> > >completing physical exams of everyone on board, U.S. astronaut
> > >Jerry Linenger, a physician, reported that all crewmembers are in
> > >good health. Medical personnel have directed them to wear goggles
> > >and masks until an analysis of the Mir atmosphere has been
> > >completed.
> > >
> > > Lithium perchlorate candles are burned to generate
> > >supplemental oxygen when more than three people are on board the
> > >space station. The oxygen-generating candles usually burn for
> > >five to 20 minutes. Russian officials believe the problem began
> > >when a crack in the oxygen generator's shell allowed the contents
> > >of the cartridge to leak into the hardware in which it was
> > >located. Crewmembers extinguished the fire with foam from three
> > >fire extinguishers, each containing two liters of a water-based
> > >liquid.
> > >
> > > The damage to some of Mir's hardware resulted from excessive
> > >heat rather than from open flame. The heat destroyed the hardware
> > >in which the device, known as a "candle," was burning, as well as
> > >the panel covering the device. The crew also reported that the
> > >outer insulation layers on various cables were melted by the heat.
> > >It is reported by Russian flight controllers that all Mir systems
> > >continue to operate normally, however.
> > >
> > > "It is unfortunate that this incident occurred, but we are
> > >thankful that there were no injuries," said Frank Culbertson,
> > >Director of the Phase One Shuttle-Mir program. "Russian
> > >management and operations specialists have been very informative
> > >as to what happened, and we are working closely with them on
> > >evaluating the health of the crew and how best to respond to the
> > >damage," added Culbertson.
> > >
> > > "The crew did a great job handling the fire, and the ground
> > >support has been excellent on both sides."
> > >
> > >In addition to Linenger, the Mir crewmembers include Mir 22
> > >cosmonauts Valery Korzun and Alexander Kaleri, Mir 23 cosmonauts
> > >Vasily Tsibliev and Alexander Lazutkin, and German researcher
> > >Reinhold Ewald, representing the German space agency, DARA.
> > >Korzun, Kaleri and Ewald are scheduled to return to Earth on
> > >Sunday as previously planned to wrap up a six-month mission for
> > >Korzun and Kaleri and three weeks of scientific experiments for
> > >Ewald. Linenger will remain aboard Mir until mid-May with
> > >Tsibliev and Lazutkin.
> > >
> > > Officials are evaluating possible impacts to the mission and
> > >its science activities, as technical experts at the Russian
> > >Mission Control Center investigate the incident. The burned panel
> > >and other materials may be returned to Earth with Korzun, Kaleri
> > >and Ewald on Sunday for further analysis.
> > >
> > > -end-
> >
> >
> > I N T E R O F F I C E M E M O R A N D U M
> >
> > Date: 25-Feb-1997 05:15pm CST
> > From: Doug
> > doughar at flash.net at SMTP at ETAP
> > Dept:
> > Tel No:
> >
> > TO: MadDog ( MADDOCKS_ROBERT at etap.jsc.nasa.gov at SMTP at ETAP )
> >
> > Subject: Fw: Mir Status
> >
> > This is what I've heard on the subject.
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: Heddles, Eric A. <eheddles at GP806.jsc.nasa.gov>
> > > To: Doug <doughar at flash.net>
> > > Subject: FW: Mir Status
> > > Date: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 2:14 PM
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------
> > > From: Doering, Stephen C.
> > > To: Fasbender, Darren E.; Heddles, Eric A.; Solomon, James M; Spivey,
> > > Jimmy L.; Messersmith, Kathy M.; Rogers, Kathleen N. (Katie); Riche,
> > > Leonard J.; Fitzpatrick, Michael J.; Papaila, Nadine; Hasbrook, Peter;
> > > Carelock, Quinn L.; Koerner, Stephen A.; Tripodi, Stephen A.; Byrne,
> > > Stephanie L.
> > > Cc: Engelauf, Philip L.
> > > Subject: Mir Status
> > > Date: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 10:29AM
> > >
> > > I just returned from a telecon with Tony Sang in Moscow. The following
> > > are the latest details on the post-fire situation.
> > >
> > > You've already read the plethora of notes concerning the fire incident
> > > so I won't repeat them here.
> > >
> > > The fire was contained to the area of the furnace and was extinguished
> > > using 3 water based foam fire extinguishers. The crew used the self
> > > contained O2 generating masks during the fighting of the fire and the
> > > initial part of the cleanup. They were up all night cleaning up the
> > > foam. Some devices called "smoke eaters" ( some kind of filtration
> > > device) was used to help remove the smoke particulates and some of the
> > > odor from the cabin atmosphere. The crew is currently using "gas masks"
> > > which are nothing more than the 3M dust masks that you can buy at Home
> > > Depot. They will continue to use them until further notice. There is
> > > no information on the production of toxic products in the cabin due to
> > > the fire. The gas analyser that is onboard cannot be used ( I don't
> > > know why).
> > >
> > > The Electron is functioning for 18 hours per day and generating O2 at a
> > > rate of 3 crewmembers plus some margin. The PPO2 is hovering around 150
> > > mmHg, but will gradually decrease due to metabolic use since there are 6
> > > crew onboard. The lower limit for PPO2 is 140 mmHg. Using the Electron
> > > unit, they have about 3 days of margin left before they will need to
> > > burn another O2 candle. That will take them through Thurs. Three of
> > > the crew are scheduled to return home on Sunday.
> > >
> > > Contrary to previous reports no more O2 candles have been burned in the
> > > remaining operational furnace in the base block.
> > >
> > > A committee has been formed to investigate, but there is not a lot of
> > > hope for finding a specific cause. If I understood correctly, these
> > > candles are built in large lots that are packaged in bundles of candles.
> > > The bundles are marked but the individual candles are not. Once they
> > > arrive on-orbit the crew takes the bundles apart so that they can be
> > > stowed more efficiently. Thus, there is no way to determined what lot
> > > number the bad can came from or which of the remaining 245 candles
> > > on-board should be considered suspect. The three likely causes are:
> > > 1) Bad mixture of materials (contains magnesium)
> > > 2) Crack in the cannister
> > > 3) Bad weld.
> > > Unfortunately, none of these can be readily determined by visual
> > > inspection.
> > >
> > > These candles are the same ones that are used by the Russian submarines,
> > > but Tony did not have any information yet on the failure history.
> > >
> > > Currently all ECLS systems are functioning normally onboard the Mir
> > > (except of course for one furnace). There is a second Electron unit
> > > which can be used but there are currently no plans to do so because it
> > > is a huge power hit to run both units at the same time.
> > >
> > > All of this information is coming second hand so I apologize for any
> > > misinperpretation on my part.
> > > That's all for now.
> > >
> > > Steve Doering
> > > DF82/EECOM Section
> > > (713) 244-1009
> > > FAX: (713) 483-0031
> > > sdoering at gp806.jsc.nasa.gov
> >
>
>
>
>
//---------------------------------------------------------------------------- // Curtis W. Rendon, Techno-Mage // mithra@bga.com --> http://wj.net/crendon/curtis.html // WeB Jammin' @ Warp 4 --> http://wj.net/ // Brought to you by OS/2 Voice Type // If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup // trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number// of highway signs, they will eventually produce all the worlds great // literary works in Braille. Received on 02/28/97
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