In other news...Columbia's black box found

[crowMAW]

I mentioned back when Columbia was destroyed that she had been specially fitted with two systems specifically designed to capture aerodynamic data during re-entry.  The Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS) included a special nose cone to take readings during hypersonic speeds and Shuttle Infrared Leeside Temperature Sensing  (SILTS) was partially comprised of an optical sensor in the top leading edge of the tail cap that would obtain high-resolution infrared imagery of the upper (leeward) surface of the orbiter fuselage and left wing during atmospheric entry. (see the last paragraph of the last post http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=77612 )

I was not sure if those systems remained on Columbia after it's overhaul in '95.  But it looks like maybe they did.  And the "black box" recorder (OEX) for those systems has apparently been found...intact!  I hope the tapes inside are in good shape.  This could be the best info on what happened yet.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/03/19/sprj.colu.data.box/index.html

[Habu]

Very interesting read.

I think that they already pretty much know what happened. They are just trying to prove it.

The debris that hit the wing on lift off damaged the leading edge and it failed during reentry.