[mikegi]

The initial frames are a bit confusing to an untrained person. You can see multiple white objects in a few frames. However, the forward orbiter attachment is between the tumbling white object and the camera. It appears that the object slides between the forward ET-orbiter attachment posts.

Thanks for posting these excellent links. I've been stepping through the video and disagree with your conclusion that it was a single piece that appears split because of an obstruction. Here's what I see (frames identified by the second in the mpg):

0:00-0:04 - object appears, flies up the tank, hits it

0:05-0:06 - object bounces off and either splits in two or dislodges another object. Call the lower one A and upper one B.

0:07-0:08 - "A" passes between the wing and tank. "B" reaches the front edge of the wing

0:09:0:10 - "A" emerges from underneath the wing, apparently broken up into two pieces. "B" probably impacts the wing at this point.

0:11-0:14 - "B" emerges as a cloud underneath the wing and spreads out all the way to outside the solid rocket.

0:15-0:16 - two fairly solid pieces of "B" pass in front of the SRB and are illuminated by the fire it.

[bonesmccoy]

Located at KSC PAO website:

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/images/medium/03pd0243-m.jpg

Your analysis matches NASA's. It appears they believe there is more than one object falling into the orbiter.

Question for NASA: What color is that plume?

[XBob]

good summary see #137