Close up of External Fuel Tank right before launch

nasa ^ | 1/16/03 | nasa

[OldFriend]

I see courage and american ingenuity!

[Hermann the Cherusker]

During the STS-87 mission, there was a change made on the external tank. Because of NASA's goal to use environmentally friendly products, a new method of "foaming" the external tank had been used for this mission and the STS-86 mission. It is suspected that large amounts of foam separated from the external tank and impacted the orbiter. This caused significant damage to the protective tiles of the orbiter."

Thanks for nothing eco-freaks.

[Jael]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/835054/posts

Here is a link to the video.

From what I have seen the insulation that broke off from the fuel tank pulverized.

[philman_36]

The woodpeckers caused it.
Following an extended Memorial Day weekend holiday, Shuttle workers discovered that Northern Flicker Woodpeckers at Launch Pad 39B had pecked about 200 holes in foam insulation on Discovery's external fuel tank. Some holes were as much as four inches deep.
Problematic little buggers.

[CarolAnn]

I'm glad someone else thinks this is possible too. Meteors hit our atmosphere all the time. Isn't it possible that one struck the shuttle during reentry? It wouldn't have to be much of one to do some pretty significant damage. Just a thought.

[_Jim]

From what I have seen the insulation that broke off from the fuel tank pulverized.

Then take out your dust buster with a clean filter and suck up the dust, weigh it, bag it and tag it (SOP for any kind of evidence) ...

Now - what about the tiles/tile pieces (we *KNOW* from this weekend that that stuff will survice damn near anything)?

[ken5050]

You open the window and hold the camera outside.....