[NightWriter]

<< I have just one question for Dan Goldin...etc. >>

Goldin left NASA in November, 2001, and was replaced by Sean O'Keefe in December, 2001.

[dickmc]

Back around Post 295 more or less there is a discussion about the relative velocity and some earlier analysis. In any event the relative velocity is clearly known by NASA because they know the frame rate of the camera and the distances involved. Thus the theoretical energy in the impact is easily calculated (at least by NASA which has the frame rate and scale of the photo sequence).

I think the key is more these later posts which discuss the fact that the tank foam block was largely pulverized. In effect the issue becomes: if wing tiles were mounted on a one or two foot diameter grinding wheel say 6-inches wide, how much would you have ground off of the wheel diameter pulverizing a block of tank foam that size???

[DoughtyOne]

I don't believe I referenced Dan Golden. There was another individual who did, but I don't remember who it was. It wasn't important enough for me to correct them.