[tm22721]

During the NASA press conference yesterday it was stated that the astronauts did not have a manipulator arm on this flight to position a camera and inspect under the shuttle for liftoff damage.

The international space station has a manipulator arm. Why couldn't they just fly by the space station and have its manipulator arm position a camera to inspect for damage ?

BUMP

[jude24]

Columbia was the heaviest shuttle in the fleet. It couldnt have made it to the ISS (which has a higher orbital track) if they wanted to.

[John W]

Several sources have indicated they were nowhere near the station's orbit,and,did not have enough fuel to get there.

[SaudiDuck]

Good observation. Too bad we don't have Richard Feynmann around to be the fall guy that is fed the information that allows him to ask the right question...like he did regarding the O-rings on the solid rocket boosters.