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American Morning
Engineers Backing Away from Theory Shuttle Broke Up Because of Thermal Tile Damage
Aired February 06, 2003 - 09:10 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have questions in Washington, questions in Houston, too, regarding NASA, right now changing the focus of the investigation of Columbia. Engineers backing away from the theory that the shuttle broke up because of thermal tiles being damaged by flying debris after liftoff. For the latest on the investigation back to Houston, Johnson Space Center and Jeff Flock, who is tracking the movement there.
Jeff, hello again, good morning.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
They think that may have happened, but they don't think this was enough to bring the shuttle down. We've been showing you all week the external fuel tank. It was the foam on this external fuel tank they think that popped off and hit the underside of the shuttle. We've been showing those pictures again and again. They're compelling pictures, but Ron Dittemore has other pictures that he made available yesterday at the press briefing, pictures before and after the underside of the orbiter, and at least on initial look, and those are stillframes, not great resolution there, but there does not appear to bean damage to that left wing that you can see there.
Ron Dittemore also bringing some of that foam insulation in question. The thought was perhaps that got some water in it, some moisture in it, turned to ice and turned into something like a brick. But Ron Dittemore says there is no way water could have gotten inside that insulation. He said that would not have been enough. What hit the shuttle would not have been enough to bring it down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON DITTEMORE, SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER: I don't think it's ice. I don't think there is an embedded ice question here. I don't think this came off as a chunk of foam and solidified with ice. If you look at the picture, the video, when it hits the wing, this piece of foam disintegrates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: So, if it wasn't the foam, then what was it? Well, we know that when a plane crashes, it takes months, sometimes years to figure out exactly what happened. Of course this the most sophisticated spate craft ever built. It figures it's going to take a while to get a final answer on this one, too.
HEMMER: Quite clearly.
Jeff quickly here, it has been reported that ice was inspected throughout shuttle before liftoff, none was found there. Does that rule out possibility that any ice existed upon liftoff then?
FLOCK: I don't think it rules out that possibility. There could be ice that formed on the outside, but if it got inside, it would make it a very heavy brick-like substance that could do a lot of damage, but Dittemore says he doesn't think that's happened.
HEMMER; Jeff Flock, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Because of Thermal Tile Damage>
Aired February 6, 2003 - 09:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have questions in Washington, questions in Houston, too, regarding NASA, right now changing the focus of the investigation of Columbia. Engineers backing away from the theory that the shuttle broke up because of thermal tiles being damaged by flying debris after liftoff. For the latest on the investigation back to Houston, Johnson Space Center and Jeff Flock, who is tracking the movement there.
Jeff, hello again, good morning.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
They think that may have happened, but they don't think this was enough to bring the shuttle down. We've been showing you all week the external fuel tank. It was the foam on this external fuel tank they think that popped off and hit the underside of the shuttle. We've been showing those pictures again and again. They're compelling pictures, but Ron Dittemore has other pictures that he made available yesterday at the press briefing, pictures before and after the underside of the orbiter, and at least on initial look, and those are stillframes, not great resolution there, but there does not appear to bean damage to that left wing that you can see there.
Ron Dittemore also bringing some of that foam insulation in question. The thought was perhaps that got some water in it, some moisture in it, turned to ice and turned into something like a brick. But Ron Dittemore says there is no way water could have gotten inside that insulation. He said that would not have been enough. What hit the shuttle would not have been enough to bring it down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON DITTEMORE, SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER: I don't think it's ice. I don't think there is an embedded ice question here. I don't think this came off as a chunk of foam and solidified with ice. If you look at the picture, the video, when it hits the wing, this piece of foam disintegrates.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: So, if it wasn't the foam, then what was it? Well, we know that when a plane crashes, it takes months, sometimes years to figure out exactly what happened. Of course this the most sophisticated spate craft ever built. It figures it's going to take a while to get a final answer on this one, too.
HEMMER: Quite clearly.
Jeff quickly here, it has been reported that ice was inspected throughout shuttle before liftoff, none was found there. Does that rule out possibility that any ice existed upon liftoff then?
FLOCK: I don't think it rules out that possibility. There could be ice that formed on the outside, but if it got inside, it would make it a very heavy brick-like substance that could do a lot of damage, but Dittemore says he doesn't think that's happened.
HEMMER; Jeff Flock, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Because of Thermal Tile Damage>
