That’s some serious penetration.

Columbia was serious penetration and with all of 1.5 lbs of rubber foam. I love the actual message NASA sent to the space crew commander:

"During ascent at approximately 80 seconds, photo analysis shows that some debris from the area of the -Y ET Bipod Attach Point came loose and subsequently impacted the orbiter left wing, in the area of transition from Chine to Main Wing, creating a shower of smaller particles. The impact appears to be totally on the lower surface and no particles are seen to traverse over the upper surface of the wing. Experts have reviewed the high speed photography and there is no concern for RCC or tile damage. We have seen this same phenomenon on several other flights and there is absolutely no concern for entry. "

Yah right. As if you can tell exactly where the foam hit from the one camera angle that recorded it. I also like the definitive words like "appears to be TOTALLY on the lower surface" and "no concern for RCC or tile damage" and "there is ABSOLUTELY no concern for entry."

I know hindsight is 20/20 but those are some serious try-hard words that raises the hair on the back of the neck. Like, are ya trying to sell me something?
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Columbia was serious penetration and with all of 1.5 lbs of rubber foam. I love the actual message NASA sent to the space crew commander:

"During ascent at approximately 80 seconds, photo analysis shows that some debris from the area of the -Y ET Bipod Attach Point came loose and subsequently impacted the orbiter left wing, in the area of transition from Chine to Main Wing, creating a shower of smaller particles. The impact appears to be totally on the lower surface and no particles are seen to traverse over the upper surface of the wing. Experts have reviewed the high speed photography and there is no concern for RCC or tile damage. We have seen this same phenomenon on several other flights and there is absolutely no concern for entry. "

Yah right. As if you can tell exactly where the foam hit from the one camera angle that recorded it. I also like the definitive words like "appears to be TOTALLY on the lower surface" and "no concern for RCC or tile damage" and "there is ABSOLUTELY no concern for entry."

I know hindsight is 20/20 but those are some serious try-hard words that raises the hair on the back of the neck. Like, are ya trying to sell me something?
Click to expand...

I loved their justification for that.

"Well, we couldn't have fixed it anyway so why tell them the truth and have them worry about it...."
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Columbia was serious penetration and with all of 1.5 lbs of rubber foam. I love the actual message NASA sent to the space crew commander:

"During ascent at approximately 80 seconds, photo analysis shows that some debris from the area of the -Y ET Bipod Attach Point came loose and subsequently impacted the orbiter left wing, in the area of transition from Chine to Main Wing, creating a shower of smaller particles. The impact appears to be totally on the lower surface and no particles are seen to traverse over the upper surface of the wing. Experts have reviewed the high speed photography and there is no concern for RCC or tile damage. We have seen this same phenomenon on several other flights and there is absolutely no concern for entry. "

Yah right. As if you can tell exactly where the foam hit from the one camera angle that recorded it. I also like the definitive words like "appears to be TOTALLY on the lower surface" and "no concern for RCC or tile damage" and "there is ABSOLUTELY no concern for entry."

I know hindsight is 20/20 but those are some serious try-hard words that raises the hair on the back of the neck. Like, are ya trying to sell me something?
Click to expand...
It hit squarely in the absolute worst spot possible, so naturally there is no cause for alarm.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
FlyingAccountant said:
I loved their justification for that.

"Well, we couldn't have fixed it anyway so why tell them the truth and have them worry about it...."
Click to expand...

“The CAIB determined that a rescue mission, though risky, might have been possible provided NASA management had taken action soon enough.[65][66] Normally, a rescue mission is not possible, due to the time required to prepare a shuttle for launch, and the limited consumables (power, water, air) of an orbiting shuttle. However, Atlantis was well along in processing for a planned March 1 launch on STS-114, and Columbia carried an unusually large quantity of consumables due to an Extended Duration Orbiter package. The CAIB determined that this would have allowed Columbia to stay in orbit until flight day 30 (February 15). NASA investigators determined that Atlantis processing could have been expedited with no skipped safety checks for a February 10 launch. Hence, if nothing went wrong, there was a five-day overlap for a possible rescue. As mission control could deorbit an empty shuttle, but could not control the orbiter's reentry and landing, it would likely have sent Columbia into the Pacific Ocean;[66] NASA later developed the Remote Control Orbiter system to permit mission control to land a shuttle.”
 
FlyingAccountant said:
I loved their justification for that.

"Well, we couldn't have fixed it anyway so why tell them the truth and have them worry about it...."
Click to expand...

Funny thing is we criticize the Soviet space program for doing the same kind of crap during the race to the moon.


gotWXdagain said:
“The CAIB determined that a rescue mission, though risky, might have been possible provided NASA management had taken action soon enough.[65][66] Normally, a rescue mission is not possible, due to the time required to prepare a shuttle for launch, and the limited consumables (power, water, air) of an orbiting shuttle. However, Atlantis was well along in processing for a planned March 1 launch on STS-114, and Columbia carried an unusually large quantity of consumables due to an Extended Duration Orbiter package. The CAIB determined that this would have allowed Columbia to stay in orbit until flight day 30 (February 15). NASA investigators determined that Atlantis processing could have been expedited with no skipped safety checks for a February 10 launch. Hence, if nothing went wrong, there was a five-day overlap for a possible rescue. As mission control could deorbit an empty shuttle, but could not control the orbiter's reentry and landing, it would likely have sent Columbia into the Pacific Ocean;[66] NASA later developed the Remote Control Orbiter system to permit mission control to land a shuttle.”
Click to expand...

It is a terribly common occurrence that so many lessons are learned in blood before we as humans have the forethought to see them as a necessary contingency.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
1538748069844.png
 
Flying magazine pilot/surgeon Dick Karl had a bird strike on the wing of his private jet. The whole thing is out of commission, it apparently needs a whole new wing!
 
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