Investigators weighing chance ice formed on shuttle vents; radar spotted object near Columbia

AP | 2/09/03 | PAUL RECER

[Wolfstar]

You may wish to adjust your hypothesis after viewing the following NASA composite image showing the underside of Columbia's left wing on lift-off before and after the foam debris hit. NASA's website says the resolution in this composite is not good enough for engineering analysis. However, to my non-engineer's eye, there is no difference in Columbia's wing before or after the foam insulation hit.

[Plutarch]

One day after Columbia's Jan. 16 launch, military radar detected an object moving rapidly away from the shuttle. NASA said it is unknown what the object was...

Blofeld?

[First_Salute]

Thanks, but no wish to change; the video has plenty of good info in it.

[snopercod]

Channel surfing on Dish Network tonight, I paused for 30 minutes on "Noticias", which appeared to be a Spanish station (Spain, not Mexico).

I could only catch about every 20 words, but was amazed at the things they showed which American TV did not. Troop deployments (with numbers) in the Gulf states, for instance.

They also showed the Columbia debris being sorted in what I assume was Hangar AF at the Cape. Some of the faces looked familiar. If that has been shown on US TV, I have not seen it.

What caught my eye was the entire window frame (intact) from windows 1-2-3 [where Commander Husband sat].

Damn...

[First_Salute]

Speaking of intact windows, the first fuselage section to depart TWA 800, had all its windows intact --- the fuselage was torn away by the missile hit, NOT some "center wing fuel tank explosion." The missile's exit debilitated the starboard rivets cause the fuselage material to flap out to starboard and then up, peeling back almost like it was being removed by a large canned seafood "key," by the combination of missile shock wave and cabin air pressure helping it along.

[anymouse]

Yeh, CNN's attention span and depth of coverage is abissmal. And FNC and MSNBC are worse. Now if O.J., JLo, EMINEM or WackoJacko were seen poking around the East Texas crash site, you bet there would be 24/7 coverage.

I saw pretty much all I needed to see the first day. It is curious to see what did survive, but it is tough to take too much of that, when you work with the guys going up next.

BTW, yes I know the KSC workers take their jobs deadly serious, but it is amazing how sobering a visual reminder, of what happens when things go wrong, is to those who complain about long hours and low pay. But you are right that it is the management that needs the reality check the most.

[NCC-1701]

Columbia was equipped with an infared camera pod on the top of the verticle fin/rudder. If the remainig fleet were so equipped, only with a high-res camera, possibly with a wide-angle lens, maybe the post-launch video review could show if something went wrong. If not, the views of asscent and/or re-entry would prove to be very interesting. Also put one on the external tank for the same reasons.