[Cold Heat]

What if the control surfaces were already compromised or missing on the left wing and the computer was a bit ahead of the controllers on the ground.

I assume they use a subroutine that used to be called fuzzy logic, which allows them to learn from their situation and make appropriate adjustments as conditions change.

Sounds to me like the shuttle was not responding to input to the flight control surfaces and the computer sensed this and took actions.

[Zavien Doombringer]

In my hypothesis, again, only my opinion, I felt that the flight controls where the blame, what caused the flight controls to malfunction, I don't know. I believe the loss tile integrity may have caused that drag. The pressure under that craft is intence, if it isn't evenly distributed across the surface, areodynamics are compromised. I still believe the pilot may have grabbed the stick and tried to fly manualy. I posted comments already relating to this. Aluminum skin under the tiles is a great conductor of heat and any hole in the tile could have allowed the heat to burn the aluminum, and the pressure forced the hole bigger and then catastrophic failure.

[CCWoody]

I assume they use a subroutine that used to be called fuzzy logic, which allows them to learn from their situation and make appropriate adjustments as conditions change. ~ wirestripper

No, you have your terminology mixed up. You are most likely referring to a type of control system called a "feedback control loop". Fuzzy logic, unlike binary logic, which has only 2 states for the flip-flop (on or off), will have transistors that have 3 or more discrete states.

Though fuzzy logic systems have their place today, I doubt that the shuttle computers use them. If my memory serves me, the shuttle employs an 8088 type of processor that Intel put into computers before the advent of the 286 computers. Though, they could have upgraded the computer systems making my knowledge obselete.

Woody.