[The Right Stuff]

I too, live near the Space Coast and we saw Columbia launch. Excuse my ignorance, but could the shuttle have been brought down by a device triggered by radio? (defective tiles, planted onboard ahead of time)

How secure is the system at KSC? I wouldn't let anyone with a Middle Eastern sounding name near the place, myself,and I'd tell CAIR to stick it. But, that's just me.

[FReepaholic]

>>...Excuse my ignorance, but could the shuttle have been brought down by a device triggered by radio? (defective tiles, planted onboard ahead of time) ...<<

Highly unlikely at the time it broke up. It was in it's "plasma shield" from re-entry. No radio comm possible at least from the ground.

[steveegg]

I too, live near the Space Coast and we saw Columbia launch. Excuse my ignorance, but could the shuttle have been brought down by a device triggered by radio? (defective tiles, planted onboard ahead of time)

Again, not likely. A radio would have to have a range of at least 38 miles to make it up there (probably closer to 45 to 50 miles considering that one cannot be assured of being almost directly underneath the flight path), and with the small size of an antenna that would not have attracted the attention of a security sweep, it would have taken a powerful transmitter (at least in the 10-kilowatt range).