[meteorite-list] Re: Debris Found In Joshua Tree May Be From Columbia

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:25 2004
Message-ID: <200302072013.MAA18860_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

> OK, so was the shuttle doing anything of significance
> around this time? It turns out it was! The shuttle had just
> performed its first S-bank maneuver:
>
> - 8:49 am: Columbia begins a series of gentle side-to-side turns designed
> to lower its speed. The first of these is to the right.
>
> Note the bank was to the right. If any debris were to fall
> off during the bank turn, it would tend to be thrown off in a
> southwards direction from the flight path.

I would expect a similar effect, but in the opposite direction,
when the shuttle banked to the left:

- 8:57 am: Over New Mexico, the shuttle -- still on autopilot -- begins a
left turn to reduce its speed. Mission control in Houston loses
transmissions from the left wing temperature sensors.

Any debris that would fall off during the left turn bank maneuver would
tend to be thrown northward of the flight path. There has been on
report of shuttle debris (unconfirmed) in Arkansas, which is north
of the main debris field in Texas/Louisiana. Oklahoma is a
possibility now as well. It was shortly after this left bank turn, that
drag was noticed on the left wing, and the onboard computers started
to compensate for the pull to the left.

- 8:58 am: An unexplained drag on its left flank puts Columbia into a
leftward roll, and a trim roll stabilizer automatically kicks in to try to
compensate.

Ron Baalke
Received on Fri 07 Feb 2003 03:13:53 PM PST