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Long-range camera footage shows foam insulation striking the shuttle's left wing during launch.
Spaceflight Now ^ | 02/03/03 | KSC ICE & Devris Team

Posted on 02/03/2003 10:34:36 AM PST by Fury

Click on the multimedia clip:

http://qs240.pair.com/sfnvideo/sts107/030203e212_qt.html

It is a much better sequence of debris that appears to travel on the underside of the left wing.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: nasacolumbia
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1 posted on 02/03/2003 10:34:36 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury
It is a much better sequence

should be:

It is a much better video sequence of the debris

2 posted on 02/03/2003 10:37:34 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury
That's good video footage, thanks. If tiles are as fragile as they say, I think a chunk of just about anything hitting at that speed and spraying like that must have the potential to do some serious damage if it hits the right spot.
3 posted on 02/03/2003 10:42:40 AM PST by KellyAdmirer
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To: Fury
I wish it had merely travelled under the wing. The debris seemed to initially waver between going over or under, and then went under and took a huge divot out of the wing tiles.
4 posted on 02/03/2003 10:43:28 AM PST by Dialup Llama
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To: Fury
Yep; thanks.
5 posted on 02/03/2003 10:43:56 AM PST by First_Salute
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To: Dialup Llama
Looks like maybe two pieces, one going past the wing, one actually hitting it?
6 posted on 02/03/2003 10:46:31 AM PST by KellyAdmirer
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To: KellyAdmirer
In watching the video, it appears the debris which traveled under the left wing of the shuttle was not in the same state (smaller pieces) as it was prior to traveling on the underside of the left wing (a solid piece or pieces).
7 posted on 02/03/2003 10:46:43 AM PST by Fury
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To: snopercod
Bump...
8 posted on 02/03/2003 10:47:23 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury
Does anybody know what this "insulating foam" is made of? I have ben wondering how hard this material might be.
9 posted on 02/03/2003 10:52:05 AM PST by MJM59
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To: MJM59
I've seen some different threads on FR concerning the composition of the foam. I'll if I can find...
10 posted on 02/03/2003 10:54:04 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury
Bump
11 posted on 02/03/2003 10:54:23 AM PST by HumanaeVitae (If the Constitution is a "Living Document", does anyone have his phone number? Address? Anyone?)
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To: Fury
Same thing
12 posted on 02/03/2003 10:54:50 AM PST by South40
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To: KellyAdmirer
The shuttle has landed, though, in the past, with several tiles damaged.

I expect that there are certain tiles that are more critical than others - perhaps it was one of these that was hit.
13 posted on 02/03/2003 10:55:23 AM PST by jdege
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To: Fury
Thanks. Good link
14 posted on 02/03/2003 11:00:06 AM PST by OXENinFLA
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To: Pete-R-Bilt
video ping.
15 posted on 02/03/2003 11:00:41 AM PST by glock rocks (remember -- only you can prevent fundraisers. donate early. donate often.)
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To: All
Much clearer photos at the following:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts107/030203analysis/

Spaceflight Now has had very good coverage thus far

16 posted on 02/03/2003 11:01:52 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury
First NASA says it was no big deal. Now they are "focusing" on this as a likely cause....go figure.

YOU ARE A REPORTER. What Question would you ask Sean O'Keefe about the shuttle tragedy-

17 posted on 02/03/2003 11:02:44 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Fury
From the article:

An analysis by NASA engineers while Columbia was still in orbit, however, concludes that while the impact and resulting heat stress could have caused structural damage in the immediate area, it would not have led to a loss of the vehicle. The analysis, or at least this summarization of it, was dated Jan. 28 - the 17th anniversary of the 1986 Challenger disaster.

The engineers assumed the debris was foam insulation and studied possible damage scenarios based on the visible trajectory of the foam.

Damage to the reinforced carbon-carbon composite insulation on the leading edge of the wing would have been limited to "coating only and have no mission impact," the update said.

But impact on the black thermal protection tiles on the belly of the orbiter had the potential "for a large damage area to the tile."

A thermal analysis was performed to determine the implications of such damage assuming various levels of damage, including multiple tiles missing over an area measuring roughly 7 by 30 inches.

"These thermal analyses indicate possible localized structural damage but no burn-through and no safety of flight issue," the status report concluded.

Spaceflight Now

18 posted on 02/03/2003 11:03:09 AM PST by Budge (God Bless FReepers!)
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To: #3Fan
Thought you might want to see this clip.
19 posted on 02/03/2003 11:05:01 AM PST by Jael
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To: 1Old Pro
Of course, no way for the engineers to be 100% sure on what they concluded was no major damage to Columbia. However, a reasonable statement is that the falling debris may be somehow be linked to the problems with Columbia. I'm not trying to be a fence-sitter, just very guarded with the limited observations I've made and the reports that have been read.
20 posted on 02/03/2003 11:06:06 AM PST by Fury
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