Possible Debris Spotted Falling From Shuttle
NASA Analyzing Video Of Loose Piece
POSTED: Tuesday, July 26, 2005
UPDATED: 10:38 pm EDT July 26,
2005
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA officials are analyzing video of a portion of Tuesday's shuttle launch "frame-by-frame" after one of several cameras aboard the craft captured what appeared to be pieces of debris separating from Discovery, according to Local 6 News.
Local 6 News aired video showing the pieces apparently coming loose while the shuttle's solid rocket boosters separated (pictured, left).
SLIDESHOW: Cam Catches Debris Falling Off Shuttle
VIDEO: Video Shows Pieces Coming Loose
IMAGES: See The Launch
RELATED: Shuttle Hits Bird
There also appears to have been a large piece of debris coming off the external fuel tank two minutes into the flight -- but it doesn't appear to have hit the orbiter, Associated Press reported."Mission managers spoke after the liftoff and said they had no idea what the debris was, whether it was foam or something else," Local 6 News reporter Donald Forbes said. "They had no idea where it came from. They said they are going to go over each frame of film and of tape to try to find out where it came from."Mission control called up to the crew Tuesday at about 5 p.m. to report two items noted on ascent imagery and tracking, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.They said both events happened around the time of solid rocket booster separation and are being studied by NASA's launch imagery experts. One was captured by launch video and the other by ground-based radar."I did get an early report before we left the firing room from the radar team that said they saw no tracks prior to SRB sep. (solid rocket booster separation) and of course at SRB sep., we put off booster covers and different things we know come off," Space Shuttle deputy program manager Wayne Hale said. "So far, I think the best shot was that of the external tank looking back at the orbiter as it flew away and it looked really good to me. We will have to see though. The guys are going over that frame-by-frame and tomorrow we will have a better story for you."NASA officials said they were expecting popcorn-sized pellets of foam to pop off during launch.
"They knew that this foam was going to shed anyway, that was one of recommendations by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board," Forbes said. "To completely eliminate any foam shedding, they simply couldn't do it."Two chase planes and more than 100 cameras monitored the liftoff from every possible angle to capture any sign of flying debris which is what doomed the Columbia in 2003. Local 6 News reported that one camera angle showed the piece flying off. NASA has been especially concerned about debris since a chunk of foam from the external fuel tank punched a hole in the wing of the shuttle Columbia, leading to the re-entry disaster in 2003."The question was asked whether this was a danger to the orbiter?," Forbes said. "Officials said they did not think so but they are still going to analyze the video."During the 12-day mission, commander Eileen Collins and her crew will deliver supplies to the international space station and test new techniques for inspecting and patching the shuttle in orbit.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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SLIDESHOW: Cam Catches Debris Falling Off Shuttle VIDEO: Video Shows Pieces Coming Loose IMAGES: See The Launch RELATED: Shuttle Hits Bird There also appears to have been a large piece of debris coming off the external fuel tank two minutes into the flight -- but it doesn't appear to have hit the orbiter, Associated Press reported."Mission managers spoke after the liftoff and said they had no idea what the debris was, whether it was foam or something else," Local 6 News reporter Donald Forbes said. "They had no idea where it came from. They said they are going to go over each frame of film and of tape to try to find out where it came from."Mission control called up to the crew Tuesday at about 5 p.m. to report two items noted on ascent imagery and tracking, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.They said both events happened around the time of solid rocket booster separation and are being studied by NASA's launch imagery experts. One was captured by launch video and the other by ground-based radar."I did get an early report before we left the firing room from the radar team that said they saw no tracks prior to SRB sep. (solid rocket booster separation) and of course at SRB sep., we put off booster covers and different things we know come off," Space Shuttle deputy program manager Wayne Hale said. "So far, I think the best shot was that of the external tank looking back at the orbiter as it flew away and it looked really good to me. We will have to see though. The guys are going over that frame-by-frame and tomorrow we will have a better story for you."NASA officials said they were expecting popcorn-sized pellets of foam to pop off during launch.
| Slideshow |
Previous Stories:
- July 26, 2005: Shuttle Discovery Heads To Space Station
- July 26, 2005: Possible Debris Spotted Falling From Shuttle
- July 26, 2005: F-16s Escort Plane After Shuttle Launch Security Breach
- July 26, 2005: Shuttle Discovery Launches
- July 26, 2005: F-16 Fighter Jets Patrol Shuttle Launch
- July 26, 2005: 107 Cameras To Watch Shuttle
- July 25, 2005: NASA Plans To Launch Shuttle Even If Problem Recurs
- July 24, 2005: Countdown Clocks Ticking Again For NASA's Return To Space
- July 21, 2005: NASA Will Try To Launch Shuttle Tuesday
- July 19, 2005: Local 6 Editorial: Space Shuttle Launches
- July 19, 2005: Fuel Gauge Problem Stumps NASA
- July 16, 2005: NASA Delays Discovery Launch Indefinitely
- July 14, 2005: Sunday Shuttle Launch Possible But Not Likely
- July 14, 2005: Bad Sensor Could Push Launch To September
- July 14, 2005: Glitch Forces Discovery Launch Scrub
- July 14, 2005: NASA May Try Saturday Shuttle Launch
- July 13, 2005: Astronauts Head To Shuttle
- July 13, 2005: 107 Cameras To Watch Shuttle Discovery's Launch
- July 13, 2005: Shuttle Fueling Completed; Countdown Continues
- July 13, 2005: Shuttle Discovery Tile Damage Repaired
- July 12, 2005: NASA Works To Repair Shuttle Tile Damage
- July 12, 2005: Funnel Cloud Spotted Near KSC Landing Facility
- July 12, 2005: Family Of Israeli Astronaut Killed In Columbia Disaster Will Not Attend Shuttle Launch
- July 12, 2005: NASA Confident Discovery Will Launch On Schedule
- July 12, 2005: Astronauts Arrive At Launch Site, Beating Hurricane
- July 10, 2005: NASA To Keep Discovery On Launch Pad
- July 7, 2005: Shuttle Discovery Set To Launch July 13
- July 7, 2005: NASA Monitors Terror Attacks, Hurricane As Shuttle Launch Date Nears
- June 28, 2005: NASA Chief: Shuttle Is Ready To Go
- June 9, 2005: Shuttle Rollout Slips To Tuesday
- June 6, 2005: Discovery Set To Get New Fuel Tank
- June 2, 2005: NASA Fuels Shuttle For First Time In More Than 2 Years
- June 2, 2005: Astronauts Wrap Up Shuttle Test
- May 2, 2005: Astronauts Arrive AT KSC For Rehearsal
- April 29, 2005: NASA Makes Shuttle Launch Delay Official
- April 21, 2005: NASA Delays Discovery Launch Until May 22
- April 6, 2005: Despite Crack In Foam, Shuttle Rolls Toward Pad
- April 6, 2005: Shuttle May Miss Liftoff Date
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