[tubebender]

In the second of the three pictures, you can see an orange tube from the lighter-orange fuel tank to the underside of the shuttle. I think this is the "bio-port" discussed at NASA press conferences; I need to look up what it is for...

Isn't that one of the struts that attaches the craft to the fuel tank during launch until seperation. I heard a "expert" on FOX this morning say that the piece of insulation that broke away could weigh several hundred pounds???

[EBUCK]

That is one of the struts (post leg of the bipod) , redish in color in the bottom picture. And you can see the "lump" where it meets the main tank. That is supposed to be the insulation that came off.

Have you seen the damaged wing pics? I haven't but would like to.