[_Jim]

Thank you very much for posting this.

Now, can you answer a question for me?

What kind of time frame, that is, what is the elapsed time over which this event spans?

We have one poster who is insistent that NASA personnel, in real-time (without benefit of studied frame by frame analysis) could have deduced that an object/material dislodged from the main fuel tank and struck the orbiter, doing damage.

[Jael]

Actually, NASA concluded that there was not enough damage to worry about and even if there was, as Dittemore says, there was nothing they could do about it.

My problem is they knew about the foam breaking off and striking the Shuttle since 1997.

I don't think they could have known (in real time) the extent of the damage. And if they would of known, I believe that they would of ordered an abort. I don't think for one minute that they would send their comrades to a certain death.

I do think NASA grew complacent about the freon-less foam. And since this was the heaviest shuttle ever, it was a bad time to try and save on the ozone hole by not using freon.