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CNN Live At Daybreak

Discussion of NASA's Changing Theories

Aired February 06, 2003 - 06:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Finding the cause of the Columbia disaster may hinge on locating and analyzing the first pieces of debris to fall off the orbiter as it reentered the atmosphere. The earlier focus on a piece of foam insulation early in the launch is losing credibility with NASA. At this early stage of the investigation, NASA says the facts simply don't support the theory that a chunk of lightweight foam could cause such catastrophic failure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DITTEMORE, SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER: Right now it just does not make sense to us that a piece of debris would be the root cause for the loss of Columbia and its crew. There's got to be another reason.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And that is why this little item you're seeing here is getting microscopic attention. It is not yet confirmed, but NASA suspects it is a piece of shuttle debris and may have been among the first pieces to fall off. It was found in a residential driveway in Joshua Tree, California, indicating Columbia started to come apart much sooner than previously thought.

While it's still too early to know why the Columbia was destroyed, there's already speculation about the future of the space program.

Space policy analyst Nick Fuhrman is with us now to lay out the emerging debate.

I want to ask you first about NASA's changing theories.

Why are they floating these theories out then they're just not sure?

NICK FUHRMAN, SPACE POLICY ANALYST: You know, it was very uncharacteristic of NASA to even put out as strongly as they did the thought that the foam insulation was the root cause. And I think maybe on clearer reflection they realized that they had to look other places. They don't really now have any debris or any physical evidence to justify making that the root cause. And secondly, you have to think about if it was the foam insulation, it could be two years before they fly again to recertify the tank and to look at all the issues involved with that. COSTELLO: So perhaps part of the reason they're floating these early theories is because NASA is really afraid that their program may end and they're trying everything they can do to save it, including being very open with the public about the investigation.

FUHRMAN: I think being open with the public -- and the first day out Ron Dittemore said, you know, we're going to tell you what we know, but we're going to change what we know. We're going to change what we tell you. And so that's exactly what happened yesterday. They did a 180 on this, on the foam insulation.

But think, if it was the foam insulation, they would have to explain to the families why was an old external tank used, one that had been sitting on the shelf for three years, versus the new ones that have been manufactured for the other shuttles that go to the international space station.

COSTELLO: And apparently NASA knew from whistleblowers that there were problems with the foam insulation and with the tiles.

I want to ask you this, though, in your opinion, is it possible that the space program will end?

FUHRMAN: I don't think it's possible. I think there needs to be that, you know, soul searching for this country. Is it worth the cost, is it worth the risk? I think people need to think through the fact that if you don't pay the enormous amounts of money for a purely perfect system, which does not really exist, you have to weigh those things and accept the fact that this is a risky business. And I think most of the public does seem to understand that we will lose our cherished heroes now and then.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know, the interesting thing is while the public supports the space program, it does not necessarily support paying millions and millions and millions of more dollars to support it.

FUHRMAN: I don't know what the latest poll numbers say, but, you know, one of the Gallup polls that I saw on this network said that people still believe we should go into space. We should still send humans into space. More money for NASA? No.

COSTELLO: Yes. And there's the rub.

Nick, thank you very much.

FUHRMAN: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

FUHRMAN: Good morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 6, 2003 - 06:24   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Finding the cause of the Columbia disaster may hinge on locating and analyzing the first pieces of debris to fall off the orbiter as it reentered the atmosphere. The earlier focus on a piece of foam insulation early in the launch is losing credibility with NASA. At this early stage of the investigation, NASA says the facts simply don't support the theory that a chunk of lightweight foam could cause such catastrophic failure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DITTEMORE, SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER: Right now it just does not make sense to us that a piece of debris would be the root cause for the loss of Columbia and its crew. There's got to be another reason.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And that is why this little item you're seeing here is getting microscopic attention. It is not yet confirmed, but NASA suspects it is a piece of shuttle debris and may have been among the first pieces to fall off. It was found in a residential driveway in Joshua Tree, California, indicating Columbia started to come apart much sooner than previously thought.

While it's still too early to know why the Columbia was destroyed, there's already speculation about the future of the space program.

Space policy analyst Nick Fuhrman is with us now to lay out the emerging debate.

I want to ask you first about NASA's changing theories.

Why are they floating these theories out then they're just not sure?

NICK FUHRMAN, SPACE POLICY ANALYST: You know, it was very uncharacteristic of NASA to even put out as strongly as they did the thought that the foam insulation was the root cause. And I think maybe on clearer reflection they realized that they had to look other places. They don't really now have any debris or any physical evidence to justify making that the root cause. And secondly, you have to think about if it was the foam insulation, it could be two years before they fly again to recertify the tank and to look at all the issues involved with that. COSTELLO: So perhaps part of the reason they're floating these early theories is because NASA is really afraid that their program may end and they're trying everything they can do to save it, including being very open with the public about the investigation.

FUHRMAN: I think being open with the public -- and the first day out Ron Dittemore said, you know, we're going to tell you what we know, but we're going to change what we know. We're going to change what we tell you. And so that's exactly what happened yesterday. They did a 180 on this, on the foam insulation.

But think, if it was the foam insulation, they would have to explain to the families why was an old external tank used, one that had been sitting on the shelf for three years, versus the new ones that have been manufactured for the other shuttles that go to the international space station.

COSTELLO: And apparently NASA knew from whistleblowers that there were problems with the foam insulation and with the tiles.

I want to ask you this, though, in your opinion, is it possible that the space program will end?

FUHRMAN: I don't think it's possible. I think there needs to be that, you know, soul searching for this country. Is it worth the cost, is it worth the risk? I think people need to think through the fact that if you don't pay the enormous amounts of money for a purely perfect system, which does not really exist, you have to weigh those things and accept the fact that this is a risky business. And I think most of the public does seem to understand that we will lose our cherished heroes now and then.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know, the interesting thing is while the public supports the space program, it does not necessarily support paying millions and millions and millions of more dollars to support it.

FUHRMAN: I don't know what the latest poll numbers say, but, you know, one of the Gallup polls that I saw on this network said that people still believe we should go into space. We should still send humans into space. More money for NASA? No.

COSTELLO: Yes. And there's the rub.

Nick, thank you very much.

FUHRMAN: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

FUHRMAN: Good morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com