[snopercod]

I can't speak intelligently regarding your theory on the RCC, but remember the "Italian Yo-Yo" tethered satellite experiment?

[computermechanic]

Thanks for reminding me of that, this $450 million, half-ton satellite complete failure, clearly proves that *NASA does not understand* high speed, high altitude electrodynamics.

Pictures of the still-glowing, 0.1 inch wide, 12 mile long, tether trailing the half-ton satellite, 50 miles up:



http://www.enterprisemission.com/tmm0013.html



Also, from a NASA teaching publication about predicted power generation from the Tethered Satellite experiment:

www.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh/Tethered_Satellites.pdf

The Lorenz Force

An electron passing through a magnetic field experiences a force that is perpendicular to both the direction of motion and Earth's magnetic field.

BxVxL = voltage

Earth's magnetic field x velocity of tether x tether length = voltage

3x10-5 tesla x 8,000 meters per second x 20,000 meters = 4,800 volts


So if the wingspan (24 meters) is substituted for the tether length we get:

3x10-5 tesla x 8,000 meters per second x 24 meters = 5.76 volts

Now this doesn't sound like much, but the resistive load of a metal/carbon-comp shuttle wingspan is maybe 0.1 ohm to 1 ohm?

So approx 5.8 to 58 amps(?) could be flowing thru the wingspan; some of my questions would be *where* did this current flow in Columbia's cracked wing from physics we understand, and what of the electrodynamics we don't yet know about?