Shuttle Tiles

Published February 6, 2003 at 12:00 AM EST

NPR's Chris Joyce reports on what NASA learned from a study conducted after the space shuttle Challenger blew up in 1986 and what the findings might tell investigators about the disintegration of the shuttle Columbia on Saturday. A 1994 study by the engineering firm SAIC concluded that, aside from engine failure, the highest risk for a space shuttle is not from damage to heat protective tiles, but rather from failure of the auxiliary power units. The APU's run the hydraulics that, in turn, control steering during reentry into the atmosphere.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

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