[Stefan Stackhouse]

No one seems to be even entertaining the hypothesis that a piece of space junk (of thich there is a lot out there) could have struck and fatally damaged the left side of the shuttle while in orbit. I would consider that to be a VERY credible hypothesis, and the truth is, it is probably inevitable that a spacecraft the size of the shuttle would have a damaging collision with orbiting space junk AT LEAST once in every hundred flights or so.

[FITZ]

I wonder if it could have hit a meteor.

[Balata]

No one seems to be even entertaining the hypothesis that a piece of space junk (of thich there is a lot out there) could have struck and fatally damaged the left side of the shuttle while in orbit.

You are right. This is a real possibility that has not been ruled out at this time. Of everything I've seen and read on this unfortunate accident the last two days I have not seen it addressed