S.F. man's astounding photo Mysterious purple streak is shown hitting Columbia

San Fran Chronicle ^ | February 5, 2003 | Sabin Russell

[KneelBeforeZod]

Top investigators of the Columbia space shuttle disaster are analyzing a startling photograph -- snapped by an amateur astronomer from a San Francisco hillside -- that appears to show a purplish electrical bolt striking the craft as it streaked across the California sky.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I keep hearing about this story. Where is the damn picture?

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Sprites...?

I knew there was a reason why I didn't Like Coke Products....

[yonif]

interesting...

[JZoback]

How about a high powered beam of some sort, such as a lazer? Would it ionize the air about it to cause a glow?

I'm no expert by any stretch, but to track something flying that fast and that high up and shot it down would seem beyond anybodies abilities.

[Objective Reality]

hm... And here I was just about to post a pool / poll for how long it would be before the DU morons start speculating that Bush had ordered the Columbia shot down in order to "divert attention" from their "burgeoning anti-War majority." With this, I'd say it's sure to have already happened.

[Aliska]

You saved me a repetitive post. It could be something like that. Also called chromatic aberration I think. It isn't only on the Nikon; it's fairly common on several makes of digital cameras.

It could also be something else. I hope the public gets to see the photo.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the info, but one of the most convincing arguments I've read so far regarding the space shuttle disaster was "due to detachment of some of its crucial belly tiles, then -- whether this was actually due to impact by a lightweight piece of debris from the external tank during launch or not -- it indicates that the Shuttle's entire reentry thermal protection system was incredibly fragile, and always has been."

In other words, the possibility exists that this "tragedy will turn out to be due to excessive economizing on Shuttle maintenance and safety programs -- economizing which was criticized, explicitly and at length, by both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees last year -- in order to make it possible to continue funding the Space Station, even in some kind of barely scientifically usable form."

[jwalsh07]

[GOPJ]

bump

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping...

[TLBSHOW]

Your correct the damage control is coming!

[juzcuz]

Disaster due to---???

I don't know if this has been addressed yet by any of you guy's. What if the shuttle disaster was caused by some science experiment gone bad...
I mean, what do we know about what they were doing up there? Taking pictures of the atmosphere, growing prostate cancer cells, I saw a picture of some type of small (electrical)generator displayed by the astronauts. Could something they were working on, that we don't know about,have contributed to this disaster?

[KneelBeforeZod]

I sent the info that rain maker posted in #12 to the reporter.

(s?)he said: "yes. i am aware of this. it could be a factor inthe coloration, but not the image structure itself. there could be other explanations for that, including, as i mentioned, a slight jiggling of the camera. I have no way of evaluating this reasonably. Presumably, photographic experts will sort it out. SR"

[Lancey Howard]

He's not willing to release it UNTIL NASA has had a chance to thoroughly review it. Standard Ops during an on-going investigation.

LOL, baloney.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping!

Sounds like something fishy with the camera!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Interesting. Did you see this, Doughty One?

From Ez's post on this thread:

"Military specialists in Beijing, adds Tai Yang Bao, believe production of the high-tech weapons will begin soon. The new weapons will include supersonic bombers, extra-long-range modified anti-warship missiles, sky-wave and ground-wave over-the-horizon radars, as well as tactical air defense laser weapons and shore-to-warship laser cannon weapons."

Maybe my tinfoil hat was not on too tight after all.

[AppyPappy]

How about a high powered beam of some sort, such as a lazer?

Not a chance. Too high and too fast and no one with enough motivation to do it.

[AppyPappy]

Take it off. Just because the Chinese are working on it doesn't mean they have the a) ability b) the skill and c) the range. It was an accident.

[KneelBeforeZod]

in a related event...some FReeper (or lurker) sent George Noory (art bells replacement) that "ZOT" picture (from Caddyshack?)

So Noory posted it with this caption

"A reader emailed George (2/5/03): "This (picture) is posted on this website(link). It is purported to be THE picture that NASA is analyzing from the amateur astronomer in California that has yet to be released."

the link goes to another FR thread...

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Hi, there. China is an enemy of this country. Motivation? What was their motivation in pouring millions into the pockets of the Clintons' campaign coffers? What was their motivation in downing our "spy plane"? What is their motivation in moving their forces closer and more offensively towards Taiwan? What is these Chinese Generals' motivation in what THEY are saying - not what the Chinese Government "leaders" say?

China is assisting our enemies all over the world - in South America, in Cuba, in North Korea, in Pakistan, in Islamic extremist groups/nations - and most certainly - in Iraq.

It's called thinking outside the box, AP. We have a declared enemy this country working on technologies that we may or may not know fully about. What would be the risk to them to "test" these technologies on an American (avowed enemy of China's friends) Space Shuttle mission on which an Israeli (avowed enemy of China's friends)????

Again - thinking outside the box rather than assuming "accident". It is the NASA people who have said it was not the foam insulation causing this accident. They have said: "There must be another cause". They are, therefore, looking for other causes. In a time of war, why is it so bizarre to consider the possibility that avowed enemies (Chinese military) of our country MIGHT have developed something we do not know all about yet?