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http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/2 ... index.html

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas (CNN) -- A digital videotape that shows activities aboard the space shuttle Columbia as it re-entered the atmosphere will be released Friday afternoon, according to NASA.

The partially scorched and burned videotape was recovered near Palestine, Texas, during a search for shuttle debris, the U.S. space agency announced earlier this week.

The videotape runs about 13 minutes long, but stops short of the time when the orbiter broke up over Texas, killing the crew of seven.

No problems or anomalies were seen on the tape, accident investigators said.

Shot from the flight deck, it shows the back of the helmets of some astronauts as well as the view outside the window, where super-hot gases built up around the outside of the shuttle as it plunged into the atmosphere.

The buildup of the so-called plasma gas is a normal occurrence during atmospheric re-entry.

But a suspected breach in the left wing may have allowed enough gas in to lead to the destruction of the craft nearly 40 miles over Texas.

The video was shot with a small camera mounted near shuttle pilot Will McCool, who removes it and hands it to mission specialist Laurel Clark for additional taping, NASA said.

Normal conversations among other crew members can be heard as well.

The video begins when the $2 billion spacecraft passed over the south central Pacific Ocean at an altitude of about 95 miles and ends when it was over the eastern Pacific, southwest of San Francisco.

It includes nine minutes before and four minutes after re-entry, and ends about 11 minutes before Mission Control lost the signal from the doomed orbiter, accident investigators said.


"<---Jesus Powers My Hotrod---<<<"

I hope NASA goes to GREAT lengths explaining the plasma, or the freaks will come out of the woodwork even more than they are now. I personally dont think they should release it, except perhaps to the families.

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

ON MSNBC.com they explained that the reviewed the tape with the families. They even stated that and I quote:

“Some might view it as a miracle,” Figley said. “Suddenly here is a postcard of these men and women.” He added that the video should provide additional peace of mind for the astronauts’ families, because it shows them happy and doing what they loved.

If my time was near, and I was doing what I loved, then I would like my family to see that.

pctech/xA10A crew Chief 9204.

I just watched it. It truly is sad. I watched a video before that Story Musgrave shot and it showed the plasma trail off of the tail and it was incredible.

Fender

Don't tell me what you think, what does the T.O. say.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/867336.asp <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

Salute!

"<---Jesus Powers My Hotrod---<<<"