[Junior]

NASA was in radio contact with the shuttle throughout.

No it wasn't. There is a point during reentry where the reentering vehicle is unable to maintain radio contact with the ground (or anyone else for that matter) because the heat plume around the vehicle interferes with radio waves.

[zygoat]

Another left-wing conspiracy.

[jlogajan]

There is a point during reentry where the reentering vehicle is unable to maintain radio contact with the ground (or anyone else for that matter) because the heat plume around the vehicle interferes with radio waves.

They have occasional dropouts, but these days the shuttle communicates with satellites while in reentry. Apparently there is an aft hole in the ionized trail that allows communication to be continuous.