If the foam insulation on the main fuel tank was compromised prior to lift and moist air was able to get behind it the possibility of a large ice build up behind the foam insulation exists. During ascent a large piece of ice weighing several pounds could break loose and hit the shuttle wing and take out some tiles. They may have been flying a craft that was doomed from the launch.
During ascent a large piece of ice weighing several pounds could break loose and hit the shuttle wing and take out some tiles. They may have been flying a craft that was doomed from the launch. I heard lots of expert references to "ice" as the cause yesterday. Today everyone's saying "foam insulation." Which is it?
I'm a pretty cynical guy but I simply can't believe anyone at NASA actually knew about this outcome. I'm perfectly willing to believe there was human error, a bad risk assessment, etc. but I just can't believe the NASA bureaucracy is cold enough to allow seven people of fly to their certain deaths without an all-out effort of some sort to try to save them. I don't think that's what you're saying but I've seen such speculation in other threads.