[snopercod]

This is gross incompetence by NASA. They are dismissing the most obvious suspect out of hand, on speculation alone, without the substantiation to do so

Most obvious to you maybe, but not to those who know anything about the shuttle.

I'm probably the only FReeper who has actually walked into the OPF and observed the tile damage from the previous Atlantis mission where the PC foam impacted the tiles on launch. There were hundreds of little dings, and a couple of deeper, longer ones. But absolutely nothing catastrophic.

I'm as pi$$ed off as anybody about NASA insisting that they go to the "environmentally friendly" solvents and adhesives. I also have first hand knowledge of NASA arrogance and political blame-shifting.

But it is not obvious that the foam falling off caused this problem, although it is possible if it damaged the leading edge of the gear door.

Try this simple test for yourself: Buy a 4'x8' sheet of Dow Board (the foam insulation used on houses). Suspend it over a deserted road from a tree limb at bumper height, then run into it at 67 MPH. Report back to us whether it does any damage to your car, OK?

[error99]

Whatever you do, do NOT try this at 88 MPH in a DeLorian...

[plain talk]

Thanks for your post. With all the posts from so-called 'experts', 'accident investigators' and over-confident blow-hards, it becomes a bit hard for laymen like me to sift through the debris.