[FPSPACE] 12 - 18 inch object breaks away from Discovery ????

[Charles Vick]

Return to station asap if possible

-----Original Message-----
From: fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org
[mailto:fpspace-bounces at friends-partners.org] On Behalf Of Keith Gottschalk
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:06 AM
To: fpspace at friends-partners.org
Subject: [FPSPACE] 12 - 18 inch object breaks away from Discovery ????

    Oops. We do recall.  We also recall the report into the Columbia
tragedy, which said that every remaining shuttle flight must be treated
as an experimental flight, not as a routine flight.

    Sounds like time to speedily repeat that robotic arm scan of all
leading edges, then the rest of the TPS.
And to nurse oxygen, & CO2-scrubber supplies in the meantime.
Keith

>>> "Jim Oberg" <jeoberg at comcast.net> 06/13/08 2:54 PM >>>

>This is definitely getting our attention.
>
>I doubt there is any main engine ice left in the aft areas, two weeks
into 
>the flight.
>
>Recall that the wing leading edge fragment on columbia drifted loose
>on the second day of its flight but was NOT observed -- and only
>detected post-disaster with analysis of radar returns.