▁it ▁struck ▁the ▁t iles ▁during ▁launch . ▁ ▁He ▁told ▁his ▁man agers ▁at ▁Cape ▁C ana ver al ▁that ▁Rock well ▁could ▁not ▁support ▁launch ing ▁because ▁it ▁viewed ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁ice ▁on ▁the ▁Or b iter ▁as ▁a ▁launch ▁constraint . ▁This ▁was ▁not ▁the ▁cause , ▁however , ▁of ▁the ▁launch ▁failure ▁that ▁killed ▁seven ▁astr onaut s . ▁ ▁Pet r one ▁died ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁from ▁comp lications ▁related ▁to ▁di ab etes ▁in ▁Pal os ▁Ver des ▁Est ates , ▁California , ▁aged ▁ 8 0 . ▁ ▁Character ▁Pet r one ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁demand ing ▁by ▁his ▁NASA ▁colle agues . ▁H umb old t ▁C . ▁Mand ell , ▁Jr . ▁said ▁that ▁once : ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁similar ▁ve in , ▁No el ▁H inners ▁related ▁the ▁following : ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Bibli ography ▁Roc co ▁A . ▁Pet r one , ▁Il ▁sistema ▁di ▁lan cio ▁delle ▁mission i ▁Apol lo , ▁in ▁Sci enza ▁& ▁tec nica ▁ 7 0 . ▁An nu ario ▁della ▁E ST . ▁Enc iclopedia ▁della ▁sci enza ▁e ▁della ▁tec nica , ▁Milan , ▁Mond ador i , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁p .   7 1 - 8 4 ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 2 6 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 0 6 ▁death s ▁Category : Ar my ▁Black ▁Kn ights ▁football ▁players ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy