[Cold Heat]

I assume you saw the briefing and the sample of this so called damaging styrofoam along with the before and after photos of the bottom of the left wing.

Although the resolution of the photo evidence is not very good, a large area of damage as purported by some NASA engineers is not evident at all. In fact, no damage is evident. No gleaming white surfaces that would indicate damaged tiles.

I am now more than ever convinced that the foam hitting the wing is a red herring.

Again I believe that something not yet considered, was the catalyst for the failure of the craft. Their are so many possibilities that it boggles the mind but, we must figure it out and soon.

The media is putting up a statement that the 30 seconds of data could not be retrieved by NASA. They are wrong, that is not what NASA said. What they said was the data was too corrupted to make any sense.

The evidence then, must be on the ground. IMHO

[snopercod]

Well, you might be right.

I was looking at the drawings of the MLG system today, and noted that each gear door is held up by three hooks operated by a mechanical linkage system with push rods.

I was wondering whether the doors would open - or crack open - if one of those rods failed somehow.

Probably not, but the chances are good that we may never know what happened to Columbia.

[XBob]

I must disagree with you, ws, follow my #179 directions, using super snooper's tial diagram, and you will see a direct hit on the wheel well.

[XBob]

In fact, wirestripper, I peronally estimate a hit on the inside (closest to the main body) of the left door, about 2-3 feet from the leading edge of the door.

[snopercod]

I assume you saw the briefing and the sample of this so called damaging styrofoam along with the before and after photos of the bottom of the left wing.

Nope. Out looking for a job today. I'm finding out that there is no market for ex-shuttle engineers in the Carolinas...