NASA Press Conference LIVE THREAD

Fox, CNN, networks, NASA TV | February 2, 2003 | NASA

[snopercod]

Any time now...

[sd-joe]

"What would it have hurt to take one pass for the hubble to focus in on that wing. "

Can hubble focus on something THAT close, moving THAT fast relative to itself? Almost everything it images is literally a zillion times further away.

NO HUBBLE CAN NOT. It can not even focus on the moon.

[sonofatpatcher2]

A very interesting shuttle tile is Here.

I can only post on Geocities and have little bandwidth to post, so perhaps someone can post it for me.

I inverted the photo on my computer and the writing reads:
V070-1911
-076 (or G) MN00

With these numbers, the tile should be traced to its exact location. It came from Kerens, Texas, 65 miles SE of Dallas and another tile is in Rice, Texas, 45 miles S of Dallas on I-45. If these tile came from under the left wing, that would place its failure at the top of the debris field.

[John Jamieson]

Correct.

John

[Rafterman1]

If you have the same tile and insulation problem for 5 years and fail to fix it, that is incompetence.

My point to you is that fixing the blame on anything or anyone at this point in the investigation is mere speculation.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think it matters, don't you?

To someone, sure! I am sure NASA has been, and will be looking at the insulation that came off!

[txradioguy]

Guess that's what I get for listening to the TV "experts" LOL! math never ws my strong suite either it looks like.

[snopercod]

Well, your numbers are wrong, but the rest was correct. Columbia was overdesigned due to the uncertainty of this type of flight, and also heavily instrumented. It was built like a '55 DeSoto.

Based upon the engineering data that Columbia provided, the newer shuttles were made lighter.

[DoughtyOne]

Well the Washington Pose was here, why not Joe. Heh heh heh...

[Magnum44]

You can't launch to a lower inclination than your lattitude,...

Well, you can but it costs an expesive dog-leg or two.

Your comments confirm just some of the criticisms that will be heard in weeks and months to come. Lets see if we learn our lesson here or if more mistakes will be permitted.

[Mo1]

**You are fixating on this Freon-free foam thing. It is all you have talked about on this thread.***

Check this video out .. something sure hit the shuttle pretty hard on take off

http://www.floridatoday.com/columbia/debrisvideo.htm

[John Jamieson]

Good work! The tiles are quite light for their cross section so would fall almost straight down. I think some will be found further west. I searched my acre here near Gun Barrel and found nothing.

John

[steve-b]

Why is the FBI getting involved in the investigation?

They have a lot of forensics expertise, and their presence might dissuade any would-be souvenir hunters.

[Gracey]

STS = Space Transportation System.

Hope that helps.

[John Jamieson]

Federal emplyees. There only protecting the bodies.

[snopercod]

...this was the heaviest reentry ever attempted.

I wasn't aware of that. Why? Columbia had [damn, I hate using the past tense] flown lab missions many times. What was different about this one?

More "junk in the trunk", or were some mods made at Palmdale? {I know about the "glass cockpit").

[John Jamieson]

SLUT = Shuttle Launch Umbilical Tower!

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

I was not watching the NASA press conference. I was able to turn it on and I saw no one speaking of all three gentlemen that were weenys.

My condolances to all involved in the NASA family.

[swheats]

I guess I didn't get the Holiday Inn part.

So far that was the only thing I fully understood, without a roadmap, on this highly technical thread and it was really funny.

[not-alone]

Thanks for all your great info

[John Jamieson]

This was the first flight of the "Double SpaceHab" about 30,000 pounds.

I can remember discusions 10+ years ago about the safety of landing such a payload, but never any mention of the obvious increase in heat load during reentry.