[Jael]

December 23, l997

Immediately after the Columbia rolled to a stop, the inspection crews began the process of the post flight inspection. As soon as the orbiter was approached, light spots in the tiles were observed indicating that there had been significant damage to the tiles......

Damage numbering up to forty tiles is considered normal on each mission due to ice dropping off of the external tank (ET) and plume re-circulation causing this debris to impact with the tiles. But the extent of damage at the conclusion of this mission was not "normal."

The pattern of hits did not follow aerodynamic expectations, and the number, size and severity of hits were abnormal. Three hundred and eight hits were counted during the inspection, one-hundred and thirty two (132) were greater than one inch. Some of the hits measured fifteen (15) inches long with depths measuring up to one and one-half (1 1/2) inches. Considering that the depth of the tile is two (2) inches, a 75% penetration depth had been reached. Over one hundred (100) tiles have been removed from the Columbia because they were irreparable. The inspection revealed the damage, now the "detective process" began.

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. Foam cause damage to a ceramic tile?! That seems unlikely, however when that foam is combined with a flight velocity between speeds of MACH two to MACH four, it becomes a projectile with incredible damage potential.
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According to NASA, during several previous Space Shuttle flights, including the shuttle launched Nov. 29, 1998, the shuttle external tank experienced a significant loss of foam from the intertank. The material lost caused damage to the thermal protection high-temperature tiles on the lower surface of the shuttle orbiter. http://www.arnold.af.mil/aedc/newsreleases/1999/99-041.htm

[txradioguy]

I just e-mailed your article to Fox News. Maybe they'll actually read it and use it. have heard lots of mentions of the foam, but nothing about the switch to the "environmentally friendly" PC stuff.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

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. Foam cause damage to a ceramic tile?! That seems unlikely, however when that foam is combined with a flight velocity between speeds of MACH two to MACH four, it becomes a projectile with incredible damage potential.

According to NASA, during several previous Space Shuttle flights, including the shuttle launched Nov. 29, 1998, the shuttle external tank experienced a significant loss of foam from the intertank. The material lost caused damage to the thermal protection high-temperature tiles on the lower surface of the shuttle orbiter. http://www.arnold.af.mil/aedc/newsreleases/1999/99-041.htm

Ah yes...hold on...let me get my "I'm shocked" look on my face.

There are a few things I take from this whole situation:

1) The astronauts who lost their lives should be grieved, and their families prayed for.

2) The federal goveernment, once a again proves that it knows best, and knows the best for its faithful citizens.

3) Environmental whackos should be rounded up and killed. Reparations should be paid shoortly before they die to businesses that left this country becuase of "Green" regulations.

4) EVERYBODY should own a firearm.

[PatriotGames]

This caused significant damage to the protective tiles of the orbiter. Foam cause damage to a ceramic tile?!

Have you ever been riding in an open vehicle at 70 mph and get hit in the face by a mosquito? I have. I was almost knocked unconscious.

I was riding in a boat going only 40 mph and was hit by a cricket. THAT required stitches to my chin.

Foam hitting the tiles would be disastrous at Mach 2 - 4. However, on the video it doesn't look like foam. It looks like ice which would be even more disastrous.