Observation on TPS damage on Orbiter

NASA photos | 2-3-03 | BoneMccoy

[XBob]

I bet the shuttle turned or flipped in a second, and a second later it was gone.

i agree - see also 137

[XBob]

see 137

[XBob]

good summary see #137

[XBob]

thanks much for the bump, tb

see#137 and follow the directions, downlad 3 files to disk, and play them, full screen mode

[Budge]

The small plume appears to be about the orientation and momentum of the original object.

Exactly what I thought. That small plume maintains the origional trajectory, or seems to.

Does the larger plume appear to originate from a more lateral or port origin than the smaller plume that you see in frame 10 or 11?

I can't tell just where the larger piece seems to origionate from. I have looked at that sequance any number of times and can't really tell. However, it seems to origionate from a slightly more inboard area.

What puzzles me is that after impact, the plume from the large piece of debris does not look to follow the origional trajectory but appears to take a slightly outboard (port) track.

I'm not saying it does, it could be nothing more than an illusion, or my eyes playing tricks on me.

Is it possible that a heaveier piece of debris could change direction slightly after impact at that speed, and if so, would it be noticable?

[Budge]

NASA would need to triangulate the videography done at Owens Valley with the videography in Nevada to evaluate if it is the same piece.

Yes, I would think the Owens Valley photos might have exact time of the first sighting of debris falling off which would be needed for triangulation from the boys video (who were in Wupatki National Monument (NE of Flagstaff) in northern Arizona). The boys video only has time from the camera, which seems to coincide with NASA tempature off scale low. Wouldn't they need exact times for triangulation?

On another note, Justa (in post 87) says the plume is steam. If that is the case then that was a large chunck of ice/TPS, and may account for the (seeming) deviation in trajectory.

Comments?

[exnavy]

Just heard on FOX news that tiles/wing parts found in Kalifornia.

[Truth29]

Updates please, nothing on my local staions yet. The debris reported outside of Phoenix earlier turned out to be burned toast, I hope this report is solid evidence. Since the tiles are individually numbered, even one tile could pinpoint the source of a burn through.

[Budge]

Late for work. Many good theories presented that I would like to comment/ask questions after work.

Keep the thread going.

[Jim Noble]

>>Many good theories presented that I would like to comment/ask questions after work<<

You mean you don't freep at work?

[snopercod]

Thanks for keeping me posted. I'll have to go to a neighbor's house to see the .mpegs - My Pentium 100 just won't hack it.

Memo to all: I spoke of the ET LH2 repress line earlier. We in the business called it that (I've also heard it called "pre-press"). Apparently, the correct name is ET LH2 pressurization line. Also, the forward orbiter-et attach point is called the bi-pod.

Would anybody be interested if I posted the tile drawing of the bottom of the orbiter?

[Truth29]

"Would anybody be interested ... tile drawings ...?"

Yes!

[exnavy]

Sorry, I had to leave home for work. Fox website has article that NASA is investagating reports, waiting for more.

[exnavy]

Yes it would be interesting to see the tile drawings.

[snopercod]

I have to go look for a job right now, but I should be able to have a friend scan it in and post it later this afternoon.

Wish me luck.

[freepersup]

flume uh... = plume

[finnman69]

Good call. I started thinking myself that the plume we are seeing might not be the debris of the falling object only, but it could also include pulverized ceramic tile dust. We might be seeing the actual pulverized tiles flying off the orbiter in this video.

[small_l_libertarian]

Sorry, I didn't see your reply until today (New posts to me didn't show). I will read through the rest of the thread to see if anyone else posted it for you - if not, I'll see if I can find a better one.

[finnman69]

CLOSE UP OF EXTERNAL TANK

HI RES CLOSE UP

COMPLETE STS-107 OFFICIAL PICS

[finnman69]

Another super close up of the area where the insulation/ice must have come from.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-107/images/high/KSC-03PD-0074.jpg