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Shuttle Lost Parts Over Calif. (finally confirming what amateur skywatchers from Day One said)
ap ^ | 2/18/2002 | MARCIA DUNN

Posted on 02/18/2003 7:23:50 PM PST by TLBSHOW

Board: Shuttle Lost Parts Over Calif.

SPACE CENTER, Houston - Space shuttle Columbia began losing pieces over the California coast well before it disintegrated over Texas, the accident investigation board reported Tuesday, finally confirming what astronomers and amateur skywatchers have been saying from Day One.

But board member James Hallock, a physicist and chief of the Transportation Department's aviation safety division, said the fragments were probably so small they burned up before reaching the ground.

He said the conclusion that the space shuttle was shedding pieces a full six minutes before it came apart over Texas was based on images of the doomed flight. Astronomers and amateurs on the West Coast photographed and videotaped the shuttle's final minutes.

"Obviously, it would be very important to understand what those pieces are, particularly the ones that started falling off at the very beginning," because they would shed light on the earliest stages of the breakup, he said.

However, Hallock said the pieces that came off early did not seem to be very big, judging from the light reflected off them.

"For us to find something that far back along the path, I think it's going to have to be a pretty substantial piece of the shuttle itself," he said.

Moreover, he added: "That's a lot of area to be looking. ... We have the Grand Canyon area and all of the areas of Southern California, the mountainous area and stuff like this, that even if we could home in on some of these things, it's going to be very difficult to find it. But we sure would like to see it."

In their second news conference in as many weeks, the board members also said they are not convinced the debris that hit the left wing shortly after liftoff on Jan. 16 was insulating foam from the external fuel tank. It is possible the debris was actually ice or much heavier insulating material behind the foam, they said.

Hallock said the suspected breach in Columbia's left wing had to have been bigger than a pinhole, in order to allow the superheated gases surrounding the ship to penetrate the hull.

In other news:

_ The board said it hopes to hold its first public hearing next week, possibly on Feb. 27, to listen to non-NASA (news - web sites) experts who have theories about what destroyed the shuttle. The hearing will be held somewhere in the Houston area. The board has been criticized by some U.S. lawmakers as being too closely tied to NASA.

"We will invite experts who are not associated with any U.S. government program who have theories or hypothesis, who have written to us or provided research documents, to express to us their opinions," said board chairman Harold Gehman Jr., a retired Navy admiral. "That way we get input ... not by any government agency."

_ The board split into three teams Tuesday — materials, operations and technology — and began delving into what may have caused a breach in the shuttle's left wing.

_ An Air Force telescope in Maui took pictures of Columbia as the shuttle orbited overhead during its mission. Gehman said the images were being analyzed and it was too soon to know whether they may hold clues to the shuttle's demise.

_ An external fuel tank identical to the one used by Columbia has been impounded at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and will be tested. If any destructive testing is performed, engineers need to be careful because "we only get one shot at it," Gehman said.

_ Nearly 4,000 pieces of debris have been shipped to Florida's Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites), of which 2,600 have been identified and cataloged, Gehman said. Investigators hope to partially assemble the pieces to help them figure out what happened to the space shuttle. An additional 10,000 pieces are headed to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and Kennedy.

It is impossible to calculate how much of Columbia the recovered pieces represent, the board said. In terms of weight, it represents only a tiny portion because so much of the wreckage is small, like fragments of insulation.

In the more than two weeks since the tragedy, the NASA-appointed board has publicly put forth just one hypothesis: that the superheated gases surrounding the spaceship during its descent through the atmosphere penetrated the left wing.

Still a major focus of the investigation is the supposed 2 1/2-pound chunk of rigid insulating foam that broke off Columbia's external fuel tank shortly after liftoff and slammed into the left wing at more than 500 mph.

NASA concluded while Columbia was still in orbit that any damage caused by the foam was slight and posed no safety threat. But engineers are now redoing their analysis to see if they made a mistake or missed something.

Air Force Maj. Gen. John Barry, a member of the investigating board, identified four previous launches, as far back as 1983, in which foam from the same part of the fuel tank struck a shuttle's thermal tiles. "We've got some backtracking to do," he said.

The board has yet to order any foam or thermal tile impact tests, Gehman said. Over the years, NASA has shot .22-caliber bullets, BB pellets and even ice at tiles, and the board wants to read up on this "enormous library of testing" first, he said.

"Before we go ordering NASA to do things, the first thing we're doing is getting smart," Gehman said.

The board began its work within hours of Columbia's breakup on Feb. 1. The shuttle was traveling at 18 times the speed of sound and was just minutes away from a Florida touchdown when contact was lost. All seven astronauts aboard were killed.

The newest member of the 10-person panel, former Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall, will join her colleagues later this week. Additional members are being sought to include more scientific experts and quell criticism from members of Congress who contend the board is not independent enough of NASA.


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: astronomers; caib; california; columbiatragedy; feb12003; nasa; shuttledebris; spaceshuttle
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To: TomServo
Not so fast there -- he wasn't right about a Freeper saying that the shuttle was on fire over Las Vegas.

As I said, you have to parse every word he says, in case he changes it mid-thread, which he has done on more than one occasion.

81 posted on 02/19/2003 8:55:31 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: bvw
Aren't you the big boy, providing the Cliff Notes for people, without a link or Todd's twisted posts.
82 posted on 02/19/2003 8:57:18 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: Howlin; TLBSHOW; aristeides; Jael
Even when Freepers PROVED that picture was a fake,

The picture/video snapshot was not fake (for the third time)... it was a real picture. It was inaccurately described as the left wing. That made the picture a hoax.

What's so difficult to understand about that?

83 posted on 02/19/2003 9:00:12 AM PST by Fred Mertz
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To: Howlin
As I said, you have to parse every word he says, in case he changes it mid-thread, which he has done on more than one occasion.

Damn - now I gotta go reread the whole dang (original) thread again. ;-)

I always thought Todd said the shuttle was losing pieces over California. Like I said - I'll have to go reread the thread. Maybe I didn't read carefully enough. My comment to him saying he was "right about this one" was in reference to him apparently being correct that the shuttle was losing pieces over California.

84 posted on 02/19/2003 9:02:22 AM PST by TomServo
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To: TomServo
That part was NEVER in dispute; it was the fact that he said it was ON FIRE and that it EXPLODED.
85 posted on 02/19/2003 9:04:40 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: Fred Mertz
What's so difficult to understand about that?

I don't know. Why don't you ask Todd; he's the one who was pushing it as a picture taken during the flight and showing damage to the shuttle.

And in case you missed what I said, even when it was explained to him in PLAIN ENGLISH, he still refused to admit he was wrong about it.

86 posted on 02/19/2003 9:06:23 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: Howlin
Oh your too funny LOL

Here want a link to an expoding shuttle? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833930/posts


Posted on 02/01/2003 9:56 AM EST by kattracks

CAPE CANAVERAL (AP) — The space shuttle Columbia has exploded over Texas. The space shuttle Columbia lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on January 16.
Pierre Ducharme, Reuters

87 posted on 02/19/2003 9:09:35 AM PST by TLBSHOW (God Speed as Angels trending upward dare to fly Tribute to the Risk Takers)
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To: Howlin
Why don't you ask Todd; he's the one who was pushing it as a picture taken during the flight and showing damage to the shuttle.

Now that was my main beef.

88 posted on 02/19/2003 9:10:21 AM PST by TomServo
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To: TLBSHOW
You AND AP were wrong. Again.
89 posted on 02/19/2003 9:15:08 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: TomServo
That was later in the week and not on the thread in question. Anyways if you want to find what I really said about that picture its all here. I have to go for an hour I will be back!

Space shuttle --Astronomer saw shuttle apparently in trouble over California
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834060/posts

Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster Archive
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834126/posts

space shuttle-- Astronauts doomed from the start
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834641/posts

space shuttle-- Astronauts doomed from the start
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834641/posts

Space shuttle-- Astronomer saw shuttle apparently in trouble over California
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834060/posts

Space Shuttle-- Columbia Will Be Visible In San Francisco Area (6AM Pacific)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833885/posts

Space Shuttle-- crew knew debris hit Columbia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837023/posts

space shuttle-- Did NASA know there was a problem? PIC and Excerpts from an Israeli Article
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834673/posts

Space Shuttle-- NASA STATEMENT ON LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH COLUMBIA
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833950/posts

Space Shuttle-- Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833908/posts

Space Shuttle-- Shuttle explodes Over Texas
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833930/posts

Space Shuttle-- U.S.: No Indication of Shuttle Terrorism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833939/posts

Space Shuttle-- Where were you 17 years ago today? (Challenger Explosion)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/831409/posts

Space shuttle--'Major Systems Failure' Indicated
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834152/posts

space shuttle--3 PM Prayers for the Crew of Columbia, their families, and the USA -
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833971/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--Australian astronomer's 'extraordinary account' of mishap
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834324/posts

space shuttle--Debris Over California
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834718/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--Fall of space shuttle debris leaves rural Texas shaken (no one was killed on ground)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/839364/posts

Space Shuttle--Final Radio Transmission From Space Shuttle
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834005/posts

SPACE Shuttle--Fox Breaking News: Shuttle Columbia Left Landing Gear Was Deployed Prior to Failure
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/842536/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--From Excitement to Horror: Columbia's Last Flight Online (New York Times)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/839101/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--From Excitement to Horror: Columbia's Last Flight Online (New York Times)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/839101/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--Investigators weighing chance ice formed on shuttle vents;
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/839438/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--It's Our Nature to Explore (Editorial based on leadpenny's Columbia thread)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/836940/posts

Space Shuttle--Italian astronaut: Re-entry angle incorrect?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834290/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--NASA Questioned Shuttle's Ability to Land
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/841136/posts

space shuttle--NASA says shuttle skin was breached
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/843208/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--NASA Still Considering Foam Launch Damage 2/6/2003
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837649/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--NASA's time is over: Joseph Farah says fed program rewards incompetence
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837976/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--Photo shows shuttle wing damage.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/838259/posts

SPACE SHUTTLE--Photo shows ‘heavy’ wing damage
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/838084/posts

space shuttle--Photos show odd images near shuttle...BLUE IMAGE
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834599/posts
90 posted on 02/19/2003 9:18:11 AM PST by TLBSHOW (God Speed as Angels trending upward dare to fly Tribute to the Risk Takers)
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To: Howlin
it was a reuters story dear!........
91 posted on 02/19/2003 9:19:20 AM PST by TLBSHOW (God Speed as Angels trending upward dare to fly Tribute to the Risk Takers)
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To: TLBSHOW
It's still wrong, as you were.
92 posted on 02/19/2003 9:22:48 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: TomServo
In all fairness, your remark to her was pretty innocuous. The timing of it was more the support than the remark, but no reason to hold it against you -- that would be petty. I mentioned it because I'm trying to see how vociferous the counter-reaction to what turned out to be truth was. It seems just to have been a one-on-one TLBSHOW vs HOWLIN.
93 posted on 02/19/2003 9:23:06 AM PST by bvw
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To: Howlin
Maybe I should distill it more for an "executive summary", eh?
94 posted on 02/19/2003 9:24:49 AM PST by bvw
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To: bvw
LOL you just had to wake up the gang... Hee hee hee
95 posted on 02/19/2003 9:25:30 AM PST by TLBSHOW (God Speed as Angels trending upward dare to fly Tribute to the Risk Takers)
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To: TLBSHOW
How did you manage to post all those URLs and still NOT link to the thread where you claimed that the picture was of shuttle damage?
96 posted on 02/19/2003 9:27:38 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: bvw
I'm trying to see how vociferous the counter-reaction to what turned out to be truth was

He said it was on fire over Las Vegas and that it had exploded.

It wasn't and didn't.

If you want to back him up on that, go right ahead.

97 posted on 02/19/2003 9:29:05 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: TLBSHOW
You're not the only poster Howlin and gang tore into those sad days.
98 posted on 02/19/2003 9:31:28 AM PST by bvw
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To: bvw
Oh, poor Toddie, right? Can't take care of himself. Well, I guess not. And I'm not the only one who tears into Todd for his inaccurate posts. He gets his butt kicked quite regularly around here for his spamming of threads.
99 posted on 02/19/2003 9:37:54 AM PST by Howlin (It's yet ANOTHER good day to be a Republican!)
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To: Howlin
"Can't take care of himself"


ROTFL!!! :)
100 posted on 02/19/2003 9:41:37 AM PST by bonfire
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