Did NASA know there was a problem? PIC and Excerpts from an Israeli Article

Maariv ^

[yonif]

The left wing of the shuttle picture taken from the window of the shuttle.

Main Issue in the Article

Did Nasa know about this and therefore kept their silence, not telling the astronauts?

-The photo was revealed on Channel 1 of Israel. This pic was taken during an interview the Channel had with the Israeli astronaut.

[PLMerite]

"what kind of pu$$ys do you imagine are involved here?"

That's pu$$ies, I think. :)

"Who here would go tomorrow if given the chance? I would."

Reminds me of the best t-shirt I never got. After Challenger, when it was unsure whether the shuttle would ever fly again, I saw an ad in a space-related magazine.

A white shirt with the outline of an orbiter and two words:

"I'll Go."

I wish I'd bought one.

[Barnacle]

You must be a riot at funerals.

[MindBender26]

Stop and think for a moment. How do you have impact cracks, holes, etc., on the TRAILING edge of a wing?

[isthisnickcool]

That's pu$$ies, I think. :)

I asked my 5 year old. That's how she spells it:)

Seriously, the taggers would have had fits if a major problem would have been kept from the crew.

[Barnacle]

The Columbia wasn't equipped with the docking system that is needed to dock with ISS.

You can bet that will change.

[Barnacle]

Good analysis. (Though my eyes are about to fall out from reading it. Remember </I>.)

[Concerned]

If the photo is REAL, how could NASA NOT know about it?

If REAL---and I stress the word REAL---who else would/could have taken it but one of the astronauts? How would some FOREIGN source have it? Surely, if it is REAL, cracks of that size would have been DISCOVERED and caused some PUBLIC conversation DURING THE FLIGHT!

They look too fuzzy to be REAL. Also, they are NOT the BLACK HEAT-SHIELD tiles, but the WHITE NON HEAT-SHIELD surface.

What does anyone know about the SOURCE of the photo? How would they have gotten it? Digital photos ARE very easy to alter, of course.

[Green]

Surely you don't think that this photograph was taken by the Isralie astronaut and shared with Sharon and not revealed to the other astronauts on board the shuttle? That defies common sense.

[yonif]

Are you reading the posts?

This is a still photo from a video conference Ariel Sharon had with Ilan Ramon, on a live broadcast news conference. This was 5 days later after the launch. This is not a photo. This is a photo-made from the video footage.

How could they have missed it? Because they had no worries, they were not told to go investigate anything, and NASA did not do its best to investigate it as well. It is just like there is a murder on the street, and there is a security camera. The next day after the murder, the security services at that camera on that street would probably not think of looking at that camera footage unless being told so by investigators.

[PLMerite]

I agree, they would have screamed bloody murder. Especially after Challenger.

But you know disasters like this really bring the tinfoil hatters out of the woodwork.

Some of them are here even as we speak...

[Concerned]

JERRY505 WROTE: "Actually, with regards to the Shuttle being able to go to the Space Station and wait it out till another Shuttle could be sent up...it wouldn't have done them any good. This wasn't a ISS tasked mission. The Columbia wasn't equipped with the docking system that is needed to dock with ISS. Great idea, but unfortunately it wouldn't have helped.

I don't buy that argument. From now on, ALL missions should at least be able to REACH and EMERGENCY TETHER with the ISS---even if they can't DOCK with it.

Still, with no wind resistance, if they had enough cable (probably 200-300 feet), they could have CRUDELY TETHERED it to the ISS (if they could have reached the ISS) by wrapping the line around the body of the plane near the tail and attaching it to the ISS---and then SPACE WALKING to get into the ISS.

[Barnacle]

That is NOT a picture from the shuttle.

I think you’re right. The more I look at this picture, the less sense it makes. Does anyone know the credibility of that publication?

[FlyingA]

Intersting Site on recent changes to Wings and Tile.
Must read.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts_asm.html#gear_mods

[yonif]

"Does anyone know the credibility of that publication?"

Yes, and I have stated it many times. I must rehiterate, it is not the publication who took this photo. It is a still photo from a video feed that was going between Sharon and Ramon during a press conference. Channel 1 of Israel presented this photo, and Maariv is simply writing an article on it.

[lstanle]

"The shuttle and the ISS "passed within a few hundred miles of each other several times". If it was a known life or death situation, NASA would have found a way to "limp" the shuttle over there. Likewise, if it was a known life or death situation, NASA would have concentrated all efforts on getting Atlantis up there."

No way this could have been made to happen. Nasa can't manufacture fuel aboard the shuttle and they were not equipped with a docking mechanism, They would not do a "rushed" launch of Atlantis and risk another shuttle and more lives.... So, No way this could happen, sorry.

[Barnacle]

I believe you had best intentions by posting this photo. Unfortunately, until the presentation of unequivocal evidence to the contrary, I believe it is a dirty rotten hoax.

Rationale:

1) The stovepipe object is inexplicable.

2) The rip appears to be drawn on a photo.

3) The dent appears to be in a metallic of plastic surface. Damage to the tiles would have more the appearance of damage to a brick wall.

4) Etc..

Though, I’d usually like to see something like this thread pulled, I think the many excellent analyses presented here justify its retention.

[Howlin]

This is not a photo. This is a photo-made from the video footage.

Then I'm sure you'll be able to point on on this picture WHICH WINDOW this shot was taken from, right?

[Howlin]

There don't seem to be any WINDOWS from which that picture could have been taken, does there?

[El Gato]

The shuttle orbits the earth upside down. You cannot see the bottom from earth.

Normally, yes it does. But it would be a simple matter to roll it over for a little while to have its picture taken.

[cardinal4]

NASA engineers are the best in the world. I lived and worked in Greenbelt, MD, where the Goddard Space Flight Center is located. I know people who were in procurement for the very tiles in question right up to some of NASA's very Senior Executives. How? I was the daytime bartender/waiter of Greenbelts American Legion post 136. The lunch time crowd were 90% Goddard personnel. I worked there for quite some time and got to a lot of NASA people. I still talk to one or two. Based on what I know of some of these people, any allegations that NASA knew and didnt tell, is bullsh*t. If Hillary and the left want to attempt yet another smear, let them. To blame Bush or NASA for a tragedy that was an accident, will be bad for the left. Some of the people from the legion worked directly for the shuttle program,IIRC. And as I sit here recalling some of those people fondly, I know in my heart that they would have done every thing they could have. There is just no way, they would let it happen. Just my opinion.