Ummm, the antenna burned off? Even if Columbia suffered a cascade computer failure...Nasa would have data stream...or are they withholding something?
The computer cycles as per de-orbit burn..then trim to S turns.
The computer is sequenced to adjust to S trun profile..there is an abort redundant sequence activation should descent profile go wrong.
if Columbia's de-orbit burn failed...there would be telelmetry...if Columbias profile to...and In S turn were off...Telemetry would be available...even if com link was ionized.
Ummm, if there is no link, how can the data get from the shuttle to Houston? Granted, I'm sure there were redundant links, but once they are gone, there is no way for info go get from the shuttle to the ground.
I still am in the dark understanding wise as to the distance from S turn Columbia was in when com link failed.
A detonation..a computer error in thruster activation could have sent Columbia into an unrecoverable mode.
Question remains...why the silence..even if Columbias profile was deteriorating.
Something catastrophic occured suddenly.
I agree. The loss of communications. The "big flash" as witnessed on the ground. The big "boom" some time later (remember that the shuttle was 40 miles up, a sound delay was pretty large). Don't know what to say here. There are many pieces of the puzzle being assembled as we speak by many curious people. I only hope that this will improve the space program.