Something is on the tail service mast which was sitting in front of the LH wing (which is the same side seen being hit by the "object" in the photos above).
this photo is looking from the launch platform up towards the gantry tower. The yellow plume is the rocket exhaust as the shuttle is clearing the tower. The arrow is pointing to some debris on the top of the service mast after the vehicle has launched.
KSC-03PD-0251 (01/16/2003) --- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the launch of Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-107, long, flexible debris comes out of the liquid helium 2 Tail Service Mast after the door closes. Columbia and crew were lost in a tragic accident over Texas as they made their approach to landing at KSC.
This is a photo of the tail service mast while the orbiter was still on the launch pad.
