NASA: Foam Probably Not Cause of Shuttle Disaster

Reuters ^ | 2/05/03

[HardStarboard]

CC: the pictures I saw were very grainy - and fuzzy. They are taken from the ground to the shuttle at 80+seconds into the flight - I don't know what altitude that is, buts a pretty "fur piece". I don't think you can apply principles of blurring at normal camera ranges with anything that might be affecting these long-long-long telephoto shots. I didn't discern any perceptible difference in fuzziness between shuttle body and debris.

I no opto-engineer. Just a mechanical engineers opinion for what its worth.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I'm with you. Sabotage is quiet, unnoticed, allows access and will leave them laughing, and everyone guessing.

[gitmo]

I was listening to a NASA engineer talking about this some time back. It seems that there has been a common problem among the shuttles where the left wheel well doesn't shut properly and causes undue drag on the vehicle. I tried to find some publications on this after his interview, to no avail.

There was another ex-NASA worker discussing this as a more likely cause of the Columbia disaster than the foam incident.

I wish I had some documentation on this. I found it fascinating when I first heard it (before the Columbia crash). My guess is there is a structural difference between the two whell wells due to some equipment imposing on the motor space. Neither of these guys explained what caused the problem with the wells.

[meema]

This might make too much sense...January launches too cold?? That would be admitting that we never had a chance of launching 'one orbiter per week'.
This is so sad.