Note: The CAIB has asked NASA for administrative support
to release information to the public and the media. The
following statement was provided by the CAIB for release.
Thermal Analysis Shows Hot Plasma Possible in Columbia Left
Wheel Well Area
Preliminary analysis by a NASA working group this week
indicates that the temperature indications seen in Columbia’s
left wheel well during entry would require the presence of
plasma (super heated gas surrounding the orbiter during re-
entry).
Heat transfer through the structure as from a missing tile
would not be sufficient to cause the temperature indications
seen in the last minutes of flight.
Additional analysis is underway, looking at various scenarios
in which a breach of some type, allowing plasma into the
wheel well area or elsewhere in the wing, could occur.
Other flight data including gear position indicators and drag
information does not support the scenario of an early
deployment of the left gear.
The search continues for possible debris from Columbia in the
western U.S., but as of early Thursday, no debris further
west than Ft. Worth, Texas has been confirmed as Shuttle-
related.
