Presented at the THIC MeetingSTK Bldg 8 Auditorium

1 Storage Tek DrLouisville CO 80027-9451

July 22 - 23, 2003

Imation Supports NASA onSpace Shuttle Columbia Data Recovery

James A. GoinsImation Corporation

1 Imation Place, Oakdale, MN 55128Phone: 651-704-3482 FAX: 651-704-5169

E-mail: jagoins@imation.com

Imation Supports NASA onSpace Shuttle Columbia Data Recovery

Space Shuttle ColumbiaSTS-107 Crew & Spacecraft Overview

STS-107 Mission Background

• STS-107 carried a diverse, seven-member crew

• The first Israeli astronaut

• 16-day science research mission

Rick Husband, William McCool, Kalpana Chawla,David Brown, Mike Anderson, Laurel Clark,

Ilan Ramon

Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107

Space Shuttle ColumbiaIncident Overview

Incident Background

• February 1st, 2003, scheduled to touchdown at 9:16 a.m. EST• NASA lost contact with Columbia at 8:59 EST (17 minutes before

touchdown)• The shuttle was traveling at 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18) which is

6 times faster than a speeding bullet• 203,000 feet above Earth (38.5 miles)

Radar Image Showing the Heat from Explosion

The STS-107 Debris Trail

On Wednesday, March 19th, The Space Shuttle ColumbiaOEX Data Recorder was found in a field in Texas.

About the OEX Data Recorder

The OEX Data Recorder Operates only during launch and re-entry.Data can not be sent to ground by telemetry during these times.

Space Shuttle ColumbiaData Recovery Project Overview

Why Was Imation Contacted

• Imation has a 50 year legacy in tape storage

• In 1953, Imation (then a part of 3M) developed the world’sfirst commercially available computer magnetic tape inconjunction with IBM.

• Imation has a core competency in data storage media

• Imation has a longtime affiliation with NASA

• Imation was a member of the National Media Labs (NML)since 1985

• Imation has the broadest range of expertise of any R&Dteam in the data storage world

Who Did Imation Work For?

• NASA

• CAIB (Columbia Accident Investigation Board)

• NTSB (National Transportation and Safety Board)

• All of us!

Imation Project TimelineImation was contacted by NASA February 13th, to create a processand procedure for collecting and securing 1/2” magnetic tape foundduring the search for debris

The OEX Recorder with 1” tape was located in a field in Texas onWednesday, March 19th

The recorder was flown to Imation and arrived onFriday Evening, March 21st

Imation and NASA experts opened the tape drive case onSaturday, March 22nd

The Imation Team worked Saturday March 22nd through noonTuesday March 25th

The tape left Imation and was flown back to NASA at onTuesday, March 25th

OEX Data Recorder Arrived by Gulf Stream

recorder was attended by two NASA missionspecialists and two drive service engineers

Space Shuttle ColumbiaData Recovery Team Overview

About the team

• Team composed of scientist and engineers• Worked on other USG projects

– USAF, NASA and DOD Agencies

• Skill-sets of the team include:– Recording– R&D– Technical Services– Product Development– Magnetic Head Scientist– Formulation Scientist– Analytical Scientist

The Imation TeamCore Team:

• Todd Abrahamson - Senior Development Engineer• Bob Frits - Manager, Contracts/Compliance• Jim Goins - Technical Service, Magnetic Media Specialist• Rich Jewett - Magnetic Head Scientist• Dennis Lund - Product Development Test Technician• John Sparks - Senior Staff Development Engineer

Adjunct Support• Pam Blonigen-Platz - Analytical Chemist• Jim DePuydt - Analytical Laboratory Manager• Steve Ebner - Media Formulation Scientist• Melissa Iseminger – FA/DA Analyst• Timo Mahonen - Analytical Chemist• Keith Schwartz - Gov’t Sales & Operations Manager• Bob Parham - Quantegy

Space Shuttle ColumbiaData Recorder & Tape Overview

The OEX Data Recorder - Orbiter Experiment Support System

The OEX Data Recorder

The OEX Data Recorder

The OEX Data Recordersevere distortion to the bottom surface of the housing

Opening The Data Recorder

Removing the Data Recorder Coverby design, when power is lost the reel motors lock

Recorder Conditiontop flange bent downward

Recorder Conditionnote the position of the capstans and pinch rollers

Recorder Conditionframe damaged when recorder was ripped away

Recorder Condition - Undersidedrive belts intact - note the tree chip!

Recorder Conditionrain had entered the recorder and was still present in some areas

Recorder Conditiondesiccant spilled upon impact, dissolved & stained the tape

Recorder Conditionthe broken tape-end from the supply reel - stretched and severed

Recorder Conditionsevered tape-end from the take-up reel

Tape Condition - Top Reelstretched tape - in contact with capstans at impact

the top flange removed shows multitude of z-folds

Tape Condition - Top Reel

Tape Condition - Top Reeldesiccant entrapped in loose tape wraps

Tape Condition - Top Reelconcerns about blocking had to be resolved

Tape Condition - Bottom Reel

Tape Condition - Bottom Reel

the bottom flange is bent over the tape pack - edge damage?

Tape Condition - Bottom Reelend of tape brittle from fire damage

Space Shuttle Columbia Data RecoverySupport Process Overview

About the Tape Recovery Process

• Visual Inspection

• Clean

• Stabilize

• Rewind

Visual Inspection

Evaluate Tape Condition

Evaluate Tape Condition

multiple z-folds from air entrapment

Clean the Tape

Check for Structural Integrityall procedures had to be demonstrated and approved by NASA

Identify Recorded Signal

It was determined that no data was on the supply reel.

In fact, individual sensors could be identified as theywent off-line and ceased recording until power loss.

Wind to a Stable Packextra care taken to wipe tape surfaces and control wind tension

Completed & Ready For Packagingproper containers for transport were donated by team members

Boxed & Ready For Return Flight On The T38

The box containing the two reels in their cases would bestrapped into the back seat of a T38 for transport to the

NASA facility in Florida.

Return Flight On The T38piloted by NASA astronaut

Space Shuttle Columbia Data RecoverySupport Project Summary

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

• This was an “Imation Team Effort”, starting with support fromthe Imation executive team and running throughout the entirecorporation

• Imation continues to prove that it is a good partner andcorporate citizen to the US Government

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

• NASA was able to recover data from this tape that was within2 seconds of the actual destruction of Columbia

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

• As a result of this effort, NASA was able to retrieve 15seconds of data that was not available anywhere else - vitalinformation that will be used to determine the root cause ofthe destruction

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

• This data showed that substantial damage had actuallyoccurred 2-3 minutes prior to destruction

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

• The Astronauts did not die in vain, out of this tragedy…thefuture of space travel will be made safer

Columbia Data Recovery Project Summary

Thank You