[Jael]

"NASA knew from the second day of Columbia's 16-day research mission that a piece of the insulating foam on the external fuel tank had peeled off just after liftoff and struck the left wing, possibly ripping off some of the tiles that keep the ship from burning up when it re-enters Earth's atmosphere."

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030203-87326768.htm

[TLBSHOW]

Nasa was warned about problems and from what I see did nothing!

[Cool Guy]

Thanks for the added information.

[#3Fan]

NASA knew from the second day of Columbia's 16-day research mission that a piece of the insulating foam on the external fuel tank had peeled off just after liftoff and struck the left wing, possibly ripping off some of the tiles that keep the ship from burning up when it re-enters Earth's atmosphere."

We'll have to see what it's properties were.