Xref: utzoo sci.space.shuttle:2145 sci.space:8704
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!killer!mjbtn!root
From: root@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US (Mark J. Bailey)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Fuel based explosions [was: Re: USSR and the Moon ]
Summary: but the fire burned much cooler!
Message-ID: <368@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US>
Date: 5 Dec 88 13:10:27 GMT
References: <880@cernvax.UUCP> <18263@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <18420@ames.arc.nasa.gov> <3055@sugar.uu.net>
Organization: JobSoft Design & Development, Murfreesboro, TN
Lines: 25


I saw a show on Nova (I think) about "Why Planes Burn", and they had a 
detailed look at that test with the experimental fuel.  While the plane did
burst into flames and burned like nobody's business, after it was out and they
went to inspect it, many commented that it did not appear as damaged as plane
wrecks normally appear.  In fact, the fire had failed to melt down the 
fusalage (sp?).  It was believed and then tested that the new fuel mixture 
did in fact burn at a lower temperature than normal fuel, and thus, the 
fire did not penetrate the plane's body.  It is believed that this alone 
may have resulted in much fewer casualties.  The had cameras inside the
aircraft the whole time, and minus smoke, the people were not particularly
burned (that is the DUMMY people :-) severely.

I grant you that this is not exactly what they were looking for, but any 
step in that direction is the way to go.  It is sort of like the cure for
cancer...no miracles, just slow, but valuable, progress.

Mark.

-- 
Mark J. Bailey                                    "Y'all com bak naw, ya hear!"
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