[unspun]

My $.02 worth says ice, not foam.

[JohnBovenmyer]

My $.02 worth says ice, not foam.

It amounts to the same thing if the new "enviro friendly" foam provided less insulation than the original foam. Then you'd be more likely to have ice form on it. Both the thermal and the structural qualities of the foam are important here. Degrading either would be problematic.

[Jael]

Howdy.

I think that there was ice and foam. ;-)

I think NASA has already said they could tell it was the foam. It came from the left joint where the fuel tank is joined to the Shuttle.