[tcostell]

Has NASA even commented on the possibilty of pre-launch sabotage? I've heard nothing about it in the media (suprise suprise) but I can't believe it isn't being considered.

[Pyrion]

I take it there's little to no chance that we'll ever actually SEE this photograph...

[leadpenny]

This is hugh.

[firewalk]

bttt

[Lion's Cub]

fyi

[Truth29]

ping

[trebb]

NASA's been trying to discredit the foam damage theory, but it looks more and more like that was the root cause. I heard a report the other day that said the foam never broke off until they made the manufacturer "take freon out of the recipe" to make it more environmentally friendly. Chalk another one up to being too overzealously environmentally whacko...

[Publius6961]

These include the Soyuz 1 reentry accident that killed cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov in 1967 and the 1971 Soyuz 11 reentry accident that killed three cosmonauts returning after the first long-duration stay on the Salyut 1 space station.

Careful!
This is going to upset that bowling ball who posted the crack that we should be using russian proletariat superior technology because they never had accidents like we do.

*Smirk*

[OXENinFLA]

It would be nice if NASA would release the picture.

[Revelation 911]

does it strike any one oddly that a photo was snapped basically when we lost contact?

Is ground based photog normal ops ?

[Cold Heat]

Excellent report...

The data base is growing, however the cause has yet to be determined.

One think that comes directly to mind. The wing, if damaged initially after launch on the leading edge located near the body of the fuselage, is dang near directly under the opening of the shuttle bay and should have been visable to anyone looking at the wing.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[aristeides]

FYI. I heard on the radio this morning that the investigation is being taken away from NASA.

[csvset]

Columbia USAF photo discussion ping

[Man of the Right]

Knowing the astronauts suffered is extremely upsetting. The only comfort is they're safe now. I just prayed for their families again. We can't afford to lose these quality people.

[aristeides]

According to the NY Post this morning, COLUMBIA COVERUP, NASA didn't have to use the PC foam on Columbia -- the EPA had granted it an exemption.

[Mamzelle]

Nasa makes an official claim that the military couldn't have taken pics that were high enough res to see anything of use--didn't believe this when I heard it. Now we have a "we could SO take a good pic" from the military. Figured this was coming--the AF satellite engineers aren't just going to sit still for such a claim. But the brass is hanging on to their pic.

Now, whether Nasa also had these pics is an interesting question. Or could they had gotten them if they had wanted them, and chose not to ask?

[Stallone]

Politically-Correct, new environmentally-friendly insulation was the true cause of the loss of the shuttle, along with the loss of seven valuable lives.

Despite the record of increased tile damage due to the switch to P.C. foam and the heightened risk of heat-shield breech, the Enviro-Nazis prevailed.

Tell everyone you know:

P.C. Foam killed the Shuttle Astronauts

[Fred Mertz]

I'd like to see the image also.

[1Old Pro]

Wouldn't this have been visible by the astronauts? I would think that the leading edge would have been visually inspected as SOP.

[Doctor Raoul]

This tracking camera may not have been used prior to re-entry. If not, that's a major blunder. I wonder at what altitude was this picture taken and if the same resolution (enough to see the damage) would have shown the damage while the shuttle was on orbit?