5 ms·
This is probably a bad idea, but like.... couldn't they shoot them?
by foota 3y ago
This is probably a bad idea, but like.... couldn't they shoot them?
- mjevans 3y agoIf the tire doesn't explode (seems like none happened to) then the drill method leaves the rest in good condition for failure and life analysis.
- iancmceachern 3y agoTotally, with like a high powered dart gun that shoots hypodermic darts
- tleilaxu 3y agoThe bullet would act as shrapnel and pling off into something expensive.
- haunter 3y agoWhat about an air gun pellet? Surely they are small enough (.177) On the other hand they might be too small to penetrate the thick rubber.
- Max-q 3y agoBut why, they already found a perfectly good method
- hindsightbias 3y agoNow you’re thinking like a real rsearcher: “NASA Develops New Caliber Bullet And Design For Penetrating Shuttle Tires For $50M” “NASA Awards $50M Contract For Remington To Develop New Rifle For Shuttle Tire Woes” “NASA Awards $10M Contract For Gun Range”
- chiph 3y agoThere's the chance of a ricochet, possibly into the body of the shuttle or bystander. Or they miss, hitting whatever was on the far side of the shuttle. I think it would also be not as controlled a release of air as they'd want - the drill bit shown is much smaller than a rifle bullet. And a bullet would add it's own energy to the mix.
- foota 3y agoOh.. somehow I missed that the tire didn't explode with the needle. I was thinking, if the tires are exploding anyway, is a bullet much worse? But that makes sense.