1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,360 BIRDS SQUAWK 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,480 LINDA HAM: OK, good morning and welcome to the first STS-107 MMT. 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,160 Great launch yesterday 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,880 and I'm sure everyone's real excited about getting on orbit here 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,240 and finally getting under way with this science mission. 6 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,760 We just want to report everybody's all smiles here. That's good. 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,200 The second day, I drive into work kind of euphoric 8 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,680 because another launch, another successful launch. 9 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,080 You know the flight director's office 10 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,920 in the Mission Control Center in Houston is working with them. 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:40,320 They're... Everything's good. 12 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:42,800 This is the first mission in a while 13 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:44,560 that is completely dedicated to science. 14 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:46,080 It's the first one in several years. 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,600 It's a 16-day flight with a dual shift. 16 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,120 We have a crew of seven. 17 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,480 Four will be up on one shift and three will be up on the other shift 18 00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:55,200 so that we can work 24 hours a day. 19 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,680 I walked into the analysis lab 20 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,080 to start reviewing film from the launch. 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,040 I love film analysis, I love sitting in there doing that work. 22 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:14,000 In 2003, my team was in charge of the neighbourhood of 130 cameras. 23 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,480 There's cameras on the mobile launcher, 24 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,120 there's cameras on the launchpad, 25 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,840 there's layers of cameras to give you different distances. 26 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,640 You want your imagery to be able to show you 27 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,560 what is going on on the exterior of the vehicle. 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,080 So, we started the film at the beginning. 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,520 We're watching this lift-off, you see the roll manoeuvres, 30 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:39,120 beautiful blue sky. 31 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:40,640 We do the normal review 32 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,920 and we start pointing out all the things that we normally see. 33 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,040 You use the shadows from the projector behind you, 34 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,680 so you see these fingers that, you know, it's like shadow puppets. 35 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,560 And we got to 81 seconds 36 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,200 and then we see this object come off 37 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,000 of the external tank area. 38 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,480 It moved down and then striked the vehicle, 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,080 then exploded into a white cloud. 40 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,320 INTERVIEWER: What was your reaction? Ah... 41 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:17,840 Inside your head? 42 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,640 My reaction was, "Oh, shit." 43 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,400 ARCHIVE: The shuttle is the most complicated 44 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:40,760 space machine ever built. 45 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,040 The world's greatest electric flying machine. 46 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,360 It has been a bad day for NASA. 47 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,560 A sense of tragedy in the space programme 48 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,800 and as word spreads across the nation... 49 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:08,560 There are no simple and easy answers. 50 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,560 We are doing everything we possibly can 51 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,560 to find out what caused this accident. 52 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,520 All the warning signs were there. 53 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,560 This didn't have to happen. 54 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:24,280 We let it happen. 55 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,000 # Everybody was kung-fu fighting 56 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,880 # Those kids were fast as lightning 57 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,760 # In fact, it was a little bit frightening... # 58 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:53,120 Columbia, Houston. 59 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,280 A very good morning to the Red team. 60 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,680 To Rick, Laurel, KC and Ilan. 61 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,760 That music was Kung-Fu Fighting, 62 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,440 selected especially for you by your dedicated training team. 63 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,280 Is it turned on? 64 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:12,280 Good morning to all and a special good morning to my wife Rona, 65 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,640 the love of my life. 66 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,560 I remember myself going to sleep and imagining 67 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,280 where he is right now. 68 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:31,240 "I wonder where he is right now? He's somewhere over us. 69 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,320 "Maybe going around in circles, around the Earth." 70 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:45,840 It's surreal. 71 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:50,960 These seven people who are, you know, living in space. 72 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,720 Eating and working and going to the bathroom and... 73 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,240 ..and seeing Earth from space. 74 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:06,440 MAN: Wow. 75 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,000 RICK HUSBAND: Well, actually, things are going really well 76 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,640 and things have been working well. 77 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,520 Columbia is in great shape 78 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,160 and working absolutely perfectly. 79 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:23,760 We had a great ride to orbit. 80 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,200 After the launch, we came home for the next 16 days 81 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,360 we knew that the crew was going to be in space. 82 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,320 By that point, I mean, I turned on NASA TV here 83 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:35,080 and just started watching the mission. 84 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:43,840 Next up for the Blue shift was a blood draw experiment. 85 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:46,840 Here, Laurel is telling Mike this isn't going to hurt her a bit. 86 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:51,040 I think God has put a desire of pioneering in us 87 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,720 and exploring, and just to see someone to be able to follow through 88 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,200 with that, and to that level, is so admirable. 89 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:01,000 But more than anything, I just loved listening to Rick's voice. 90 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,680 I loved listening to him talk back and forth with Mission Control. 91 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:19,040 Looking at that film, 92 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,840 we were all discussing, "How big are we talking about a problem? 93 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:26,720 "How much damage are we talking about?" 94 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,880 Worst case would have been damage all the way down 95 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,400 to the skin of the vehicle. 96 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,520 That would have given us a problem during the landing. 97 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,920 And what does that, in human terms, what does that really mean? 98 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,120 Well, that probably would have been loss of vehicle and loss of crew. 99 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,280 So, I went to see Wayne, my boss. 100 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,680 Based on my 20-plus years of experience, 101 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,960 I can tell you every shuttle flight that flew had issues. 102 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:07,080 People came to me as a flight director or as manager every day. 103 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,080 In this case, Bob Page knocked on my door, 104 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,520 came into my office and said... 105 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:13,960 "We've got a problem. 106 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,640 "This is the largest strike of a vehicle that we have ever seen." 107 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:21,120 He's a little bit of a high-energy guy, 108 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,680 so it wasn't unusual, I didn't think. 109 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,880 But he had a little video clip that he showed me. 110 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,760 It's really hard to tell if anything bad had happened. 111 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,560 I mean, this is insulating foam. 112 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,720 It's lightweight. 113 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:42,280 So, the orange thing is the external tank. 114 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,560 It's carrying cryogenically cold liquid oxygen 115 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,440 and hydrogen and it's going to sit out on the launchpad 116 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,800 in the sunshine. 117 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,040 You don't want that to start boiling off. 118 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,040 So, over the outside of the tank 119 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,400 there's this spray-on insulating foam. 120 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,080 Similar to what you have if you have a leak 121 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,600 and you get the stuff from the hardware store 122 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,920 and you spray it around a windowsill. 123 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,720 Cheap, very effective. 124 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,840 But it's got this property that, 125 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,520 as you go through supersonic flight in the atmosphere, 126 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,560 bits of it come off. 127 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,640 INTERVIEWER: So, foam falling off during launch 128 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,400 was something that had happened before? 129 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,760 Yes, it happened all the time. 130 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,920 Maybe not in these big chunks, 131 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,120 but it did happen all the time. 132 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:31,360 The question is, "How bad of shape is the orbiter in?" 133 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:32,880 And Bob said, 134 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,160 "I really wish there was some way to get more information." 135 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,640 I knew this mission passed over places 136 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:42,760 where there were some high-altitude telescopes. 137 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:47,000 These are looking at stars, so if you want to look at the orbiter, 138 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,800 you could probably get the entire orbiter fit in the field of view 139 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,880 and have extremely good resolution. 140 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,600 And I said, "Well, I don't really know much about that, Bob. 141 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,360 "We'll have to check." 142 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,800 And so, I got the assurance from Wayne 143 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,360 that he would make some calls and he would see what could be done, 144 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,080 and things were put into motion. 145 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,880 Did the crew know at this point? 146 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:13,320 No. 147 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,800 You don't want to alarm the crew that early. 148 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:17,520 They had just gotten onto orbit. 149 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,360 They have a job to do. 150 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,680 When we have the complete story, 151 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:23,960 then that's when we pass it on to them. 152 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,280 STATIC CRACKLES 153 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,280 Mom? 154 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,160 Mom? 155 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,200 Miss you. 156 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:41,440 Bye-bye! 157 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,600 We talked using the early televideo conferencing capability 158 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,160 and super low-tech bandwidth. 159 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,320 It's ratty com but it's a very special time. 160 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,520 It was a huge relief being able to... 161 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:05,680 ..see her again. 162 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:08,640 But I really couldn't comprehend that she was in space. 163 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,920 Like, it didn't make sense to me at all. 164 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,360 HE GIGGLES 165 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,800 It felt like counting down to Christmas, 166 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:57,640 waiting for her to get back. 167 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:17,400 In the NASA world, people don't talk in terms of, 168 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,640 "It's life or death". 169 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,680 You use the terms, "Threat to the vehicle and crew," 170 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:26,440 or, "Risk to the vehicle and crew". 171 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:31,600 It might have more power and more punch if we talk life and death. 172 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,160 But we don't. 173 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:40,640 There's an old saying in the space business, 174 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,920 "The first story's never right," right? 175 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:44,960 So, you get the story, something happened. 176 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,280 It could be the end of the world, it could be nothing. 177 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,080 So, we were all concerned. 178 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,720 It wasn't like we were going to do anything immediately 179 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,920 other than get the data and we will hand it over to the engineers 180 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,280 that are standing ready to do those sort of analysis. 181 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:11,680 The second day of the mission was just an ordinary day for me. 182 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:15,800 I was ready to go home about five o'clock on a Friday evening. 183 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:17,520 PHONE RINGS 184 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,960 And then, I got a call from my manager. 185 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,160 She said, "Rodney, do you know that 186 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,360 "a large piece of foam hit the left wing?" 187 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,560 And I think I gasp and I said, "Ooh" or "Ahh". I made some exclamation. 188 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:33,600 "No, I did not hear that." 189 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,920 And she said, "They have just released a video." 190 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,280 Every time I watched the video, 191 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,320 I'm looking at portions of it or a sector of it, 192 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,160 just to see if I can glean one more piece of detail out of it. 193 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:50,720 And the question I had, 194 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,360 "What is that cloud? That expanding white stuff?" 195 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:00,240 One can't help but ask, "Is that part of the wing coming apart?" 196 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:10,120 ROCK MUSIC PLAYS 197 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,120 Columbia, Houston. 198 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,440 Good morning to the Red team. 199 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,920 I was thinking about this foam strike all weekend. 200 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,320 And I thought, "Can't we get the astronauts to look through 201 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:47,680 "this side hatch window?" 202 00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:50,840 There's a little window right here, this little dark circle. 203 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,920 Could they have looked back to this area in here 204 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,760 to see if there's any damage - debris, residue, anything? 205 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,520 What I was expecting is you first look with your eyes. 206 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:03,680 Just look. 207 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:06,080 And then, if they'd seen something unusual, 208 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:07,880 they would have probably used binoculars. 209 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,640 They have binoculars on board, 210 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,200 and they have telephoto lenses and cameras. 211 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,520 They would have probably photo documented this whole thing 212 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,240 and sent it down to the ground. 213 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,160 Once the crew has reported something, 214 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,560 the ground responds, must respond. 215 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,720 It was a very easy thing to do 216 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,840 and the crew would have done it happily. 217 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,280 So, let's see. Rodney sent me an email. 218 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,000 "We know that the Remote Manipulator System arm and cameras 219 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:44,280 "are not available, but what about the left side hatch window?" 220 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:49,120 He's questioning whether there's been any action 221 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,400 to ask the crew to look for damage. 222 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,480 LAUREL CLARK: OK, well, good morning or good evening, 223 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:57,920 as the case goes for all you guys 224 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:59,920 working around the clock there in Houston. 225 00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:03,480 PAUL SHACK: You have to understand, NASA works on procedures. 226 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,080 We have a mission plan. 227 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,960 Red shift are just finishing up their day. 228 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,440 Any deviation needs to be evaluated and assessed 229 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,280 on how it will impact everything. 230 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:17,520 MISSION CONTROL: Laurel, just to be advised, 231 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,320 you have about two minutes of video left. 232 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,800 To deviate from the processes 233 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:27,080 and the procedures you'd need to have a reason. 234 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,600 And the reason needs data. 235 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,560 It's not just, "I have a bad feeling about this." 236 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,760 And I got no reply to my email. 237 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,760 My request was never answered. 238 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,040 Columbia, this is CNN, how do you read me? 239 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,680 Hey, CNN, we've got you loud and clear. 240 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,920 Stand by and we'll have you on the telly here very shortly. 241 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,120 Say hello to the crew of the space shuttle Columbia, 242 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,520 now travelling above the Pacific at 17,300 miles an hour. 243 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:00,600 150 miles above us. 244 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,040 Waving to us. Let's give you an idea of who's who... 245 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,800 O'BRIEN, VOICEOVER: I remember interviewing the crew in space. 246 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,640 ..Rick Husband, the commander, second mission. Laurel Clark... 247 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:09,960 Prepping for that interview, 248 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,240 I thought about the foam strike and how to handle it. 249 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:15,240 But on launch day, 250 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,440 when I saw that footage, 251 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,920 I wasn't sure what to think about it. 252 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:21,560 I'm not a rocket scientist. 253 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:26,040 So, I called to somebody who I know very well at NASA. 254 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,720 I said, "Help me understand how worried I should be for this." 255 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:34,920 And he said, "Ah, it's foam, it's very light material. 256 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:36,800 "Probably hasn't caused any damage." 257 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,560 INTERVIEWER: So, they're telling you it's nothing to worry about. 258 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,680 But did you still have a little concern? I was... 259 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,320 It nagged me the whole mission. 260 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:50,160 Colonel Ramon. I'm curious, was the launch what you expected? 261 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,160 I was thinking about the foam. 262 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,800 I just didn't know how to, in a five-minute interview, set that up. 263 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,720 Are all these experiments working? 264 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,280 They couldn't all be working as planned. 265 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,680 Well, things are going very smoothly. 266 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,240 As expected, there's some minor glitches. 267 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:23,000 I had gone through this process of convincing myself 268 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,880 that it was going to be OK. 269 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,320 All right, we're going to have to leave it at that. 270 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:31,000 Goodness, look at that little chalice going by there! 271 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,840 But I had this sinking feeling. 272 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,120 I just... I just didn't feel right. 273 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,600 We spent the weekend analysing this film. 274 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,240 We estimated the size of the foam. 275 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,760 16 inches across, 18 inches long. 276 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:01,320 Suitcase size. 277 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,920 So, it's a big chunk of foam, moving at 750mph. 278 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,360 But in the end, what we did not know 279 00:18:09,360 --> 00:18:12,880 was the condition of the vehicle post-strike. 280 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,840 How much thermal protection system would be left? 281 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:22,280 Returning from space, 282 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:28,560 a craft that is going 17,500 miles an hour heats up gases, 283 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:32,200 and very hot gases become something we call plasma. 284 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:40,000 The shuttle is enveloped in this inferno and it's kind of beautiful. 285 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,480 But, obviously, you want to be protected from it. 286 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,640 Well, they came to the conclusion that the best way to deal with that 287 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,920 was to arrange a system of tiles to cover the shuttle. 288 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:56,080 All of the black here shown is all tiles. 289 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,200 And these tiles are made of a silica fibre material, 290 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,040 which is very heat resistant. 291 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,320 I can show you. 292 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,400 This is a test tile. 293 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,920 There are about 31,000 of them altogether. 294 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:10,560 And we hope those tiles will stay on 295 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,880 when the orbiter comes back into the atmosphere, 296 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,440 because otherwise the craft itself could be damaged. 297 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,080 Well, if you don't have any tiles on the bottom, 298 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:21,400 the vehicle's going to burn up. 299 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,040 If you have a lot of tiles on the bottom, the vehicle won't burn up. 300 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,480 REPORTER: But if something should happen to the tile, 301 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,360 is there anything at all that you can do? 302 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,920 During the development of the space shuttle, in the 1970s, 303 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,240 there was quite an effort to develop a way to repair 304 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,320 damaged tiles on orbit. 305 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:41,920 It was a huge effort 306 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,240 and it was an utter failure. 307 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,440 They could not develop anything. 308 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,720 And that was one of the "accepted risks" of flying in space. 309 00:19:55,040 --> 00:20:02,040 I knew the one tool we had was changing the way entry is done. 310 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:06,640 You can change the angle of attack coming in 311 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:11,000 so you can lessen the heat in certain areas. 312 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:15,080 But you know the calendar is ticking down. 313 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,720 LINDA HAM: OK. Good morning. We're ready for roll. 314 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,560 The biggest misimpression I see in movies and whatnot 315 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,920 is that there's a few guys sitting around a table making decisions. 316 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:40,440 It's not like that. 317 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,800 In a meeting, there's 20, 30 people in the room. 318 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,320 There's people joining from Kennedy, 319 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,840 there's people from Huntington Beach, California, 320 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,280 a representative from engineering, a representative from the crew. 321 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,840 The chairman of the meeting was Linda Ham. 322 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,560 She basically ran this mission. 323 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,120 She was effectively 324 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:10,320 the deputy to Ron Dittemore, 325 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,760 the program manager in those days. 326 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,360 Linda has excellent judgment, 327 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:19,040 can grasp complicated problems very quickly. 328 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,080 She was the first woman to be certified as a flight director. 329 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:49,120 Linda was recalling STS-112, a flight, two flights before. 330 00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:52,160 MISSION CONTROL: We have go for main engine start. 331 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,720 Two, one, we've got booster ignition, 332 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,240 and lift-off of the space shuttle Atlantis. 333 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,400 STS-112 had... 334 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,800 ..a very similar piece of foam come off 335 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,640 from almost the same location. 336 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,440 But in that case, 337 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,840 the foam hit a solid rocket booster 338 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:14,320 and put a dent in it. 339 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,400 The foam travelled, travelled down. 340 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:19,200 It struck right here. 341 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,200 These three lines. 342 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,520 But, of course, solid rocket boosters disconnect. 343 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,720 They splash down in the ocean. 344 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:29,640 It didn't hit the orbiter, 345 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:31,880 so it was no effect to the flight. 346 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,880 The management team, they analysed it 347 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,000 and came up with the conclusion that no safety of flight issue existed. 348 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,320 MISSION CONTROL: Welcome back to Earth, Atlantis. 349 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,960 And congratulations on a truly spectacular mission. 350 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,160 But we dodged the bullet on that one. 351 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,000 The difference with Columbia is that the foam hit the orbiter, 352 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:02,320 but you can't see where on the wing it hit 353 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:07,120 and how big the damage to the orbiter may be. 354 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,800 A special team was forming and I was told that I would be on it. 355 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:37,560 The mission management wanted to know how bad it is. 356 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,480 No damage, minimal damage, or grave damage? 357 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,200 In that room, on the first meeting, 358 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:48,760 there were probably 12 to 15 people. 359 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,200 They were the best experts in different fields. 360 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,160 But all we knew was 361 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,240 this was foam and it hit the left wing. 362 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,240 But WHERE on the left wing, we did not know. 363 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,000 This is why we naturally came to the conclusion, 364 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,440 we cannot initiate a credible analysis 365 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,880 until we know damage location and extent of damage. 366 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,360 There's nothing credible we can initiate. 367 00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:23,760 We must have another piece of data, another image. 368 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,520 We knew that performing a spacewalk would have been very dangerous. 369 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,040 Spacewalks are always highly choreographed. 370 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,680 They always go to places where they have handrails, 371 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,720 where they've had a chance to practise. 372 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,040 In this case, people would have been just going out there 373 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,760 and hanging a metal ladder off the side of the vehicle 374 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,520 where it's going to bang around, while somebody climbs down there 375 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,280 to see if there's something there to see. 376 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,680 You're talking about doing something that very well could have caused 377 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,160 damage to an orbiter that might be undamaged. 378 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:03,160 I knew that the military satellites at that time were extremely good. 379 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:07,480 There were stories like they could read licence plates from space. 380 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,120 We have quite a fleet of spy satellites out there 381 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:12,360 and most are trying to, at that time, 382 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:15,760 chase down terrorists in Afghanistan or Iraq or whatever. 383 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,120 Aiming it at the shuttle was a possibility. 384 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,160 That's why the whole group thought it was a good idea. 385 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,280 "Let's ask for military assets." 386 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,440 "The meeting participants all agreed 387 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,480 "we will always have big uncertainties 388 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,480 "until we get definitive, better, 389 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,160 "clearer photos of the wing and body underside." 390 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:45,320 So in bold face, I put, 391 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:50,760 "Can we petition (beg) for outside agency assistance?" 392 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:54,200 INTERVIEWER: But even with the satellite images, 393 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,520 what were you hoping would be achieved? 394 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,400 Once you have this proof, 395 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,080 if there were damage, 396 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,920 then you have experts just flowing in. 397 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:07,680 Next thing, you tell the crew. 398 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,760 By informing the crew, they're now part of the solution. 399 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:13,040 They had tools. They had cutting instruments. 400 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,160 You take the available materials, 401 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:16,720 take the Spacehab apart. 402 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,240 You improvise. 403 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,680 You stuff the hole, 404 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:20,960 if there was a hole, 405 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,040 with materials that will delay peak heating. 406 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,040 Then you can you talk about altering the entry trajectory. 407 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,120 Or if this had been publicised, 408 00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:32,800 the Russians might have sent up an empty Soyuz. 409 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,960 We did the Apollo 13 scenario. 410 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,240 We would have tried something. 411 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,960 But first, you need the images. 412 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,400 Um... 413 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,600 I thought Rodney was asking for something that was 414 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,840 out of my ability to obtain. 415 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,040 So, I went to my boss. 416 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:04,200 I said, "Some engineers want photographs." 417 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,960 You know, there's uncertainty. 418 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,440 I gave her the facts and she just said, 419 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,440 "Well, they're still doing their analysis. 420 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,880 "When they come back with their answer, 421 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,480 "we'll see what it is, and then we'll ask." 422 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,200 So, she didn't say, "No." 423 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,920 What she said was, "Let's get the analysis 424 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:26,200 "and then, make a further decision if necessary." 425 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:35,920 # ..Means no worries 426 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,680 # For the rest of your days 427 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,480 # It's our problem-free 428 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,720 # Philosophy 429 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:45,560 # Hakuna matata... # 430 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,320 MISSION CONTROL: Good morning, Blue. 431 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,720 That was Hakuna Matata, by the Baha Men, going out to Mike. 432 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:56,120 And it was picked especially for Dad by the kids. 433 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:58,960 MIKE ANDERSON: Good morning, Houston. What a wonderful song. 434 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,600 And I'd really like to thank my kids for that one, 435 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,240 both Sydney and Kaycee. 436 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:07,000 And it's a really good day to wake up today and nothing to worry about, 437 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:11,280 and Blue shift is ready to start another day of science on orbit. 438 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,280 You know, as a kid, your imagination just like, runs wild. 439 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,640 I'm like, "Do they just float and sleep?" Or, you know, 440 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,040 "Does he get to go out in actual space? 441 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:24,480 "Did he see aliens?" 442 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,840 Mostly I just thought like he was an explorer. 443 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,840 Kind of like, I don't know, like a space Indiana Jones. 444 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,400 You know, we make it a point to get out and go to schools 445 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:34,840 and talk to kids all the time. 446 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,000 And when I do that, I really try to let them 447 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,360 know what it was like for me when I was a kid growing up. 448 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,040 And how I had this dream of one day becoming an astronaut. 449 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,360 And that really, if you work hard and you're always persistent, 450 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,440 you can really make those dreams come true. 451 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:48,720 So, I always try to give that 452 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,120 message to the kids when I talk to them. 453 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,680 He wanted to always be involved in something that was 454 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:56,240 kind of bigger than him, 455 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:58,200 that contributed to society, 456 00:28:58,200 --> 00:28:59,960 that had a purpose. 457 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,600 It was fun to watch him. He looked like he was enjoying himself. 458 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,360 The crew looked like they were doing what they needed to be doing 459 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,160 and everything was going off really well. 460 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:15,280 And I didn't know, at that time, 461 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,120 that anything concerning had happened. 462 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,120 There were people that did, though, but I wasn't one of them. 463 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,000 I was in my office in Florida, 464 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,200 and I got a phone call from the head 465 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,720 of what we call "systems integrations." 466 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,600 He's an engineer who I respect very highly. 467 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:41,360 And he said, "Hey, we really don't have all the information 468 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,960 "we'd like to have on this debris strike. 469 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:47,480 "Do you know of anybody that's got a way to get better pictures?" 470 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,680 Now I had this engineer as well as Bob, 471 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:54,440 asking me to see if I can find out some more information. 472 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:59,480 NASA does not own any military satellites but, at that time, 473 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:04,040 we had a close working relationship with the Patrick Air Force Base. 474 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,920 So, I put in a request with them. 475 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,200 INTERVIEWER: How hard could it be to take a few photographs? 476 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,520 I'm not going to pretend that it's easy. 477 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:20,720 I do appreciate the preparation that would have to go into it. 478 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,880 One would have to interrupt the mission 479 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,840 to get the right lighting, to make sure you're over... 480 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:28,960 The right satellite is in position. 481 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,640 Then now, you have an army of people on the ground. 482 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,720 We have to reorient the shuttle 483 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,760 for the proper exposure angles and all that. 484 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,720 And to do that means they may have to terminate 485 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:41,640 their science experiments. 486 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,240 In a program manager's mind 487 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,920 that's responsible for getting shuttles up there on schedule, 488 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,440 if you interrupt the science mission, 489 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,040 you have the ire of all the people 490 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:53,320 and the science objectives were now ruined, 491 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,280 and that looks badly on NASA. 492 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,320 I think that weighed on him, too. 493 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,440 WAYNE HALE: A little bit later in the day, in the afternoon, 494 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:10,760 I got a call from Linda and she said, 495 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,600 "Hey, I heard that you were trying to get some pictures, 496 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:18,080 "and I've checked around and nobody has a requirement for us 497 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:21,920 "to get any more information. The engineers have all they need." 498 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,480 What she was telling me is that none of the managers 499 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,280 was willing to stand up and say, 500 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:29,640 "We really need to have more information." 501 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:32,720 And at that time, I took that as, well, she was in Houston. 502 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,360 The engineers that are doing the analysis are there, 503 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,200 she's probably been over. 504 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:40,280 But she said, "I want you to turn this off 505 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,240 "because we don't need to bother those other people." 506 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:45,520 "OK." 507 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,320 INTERVIEWER: How did you feel when she said that? I was mad. 508 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,480 Because I don't like to be overruled. 509 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:54,160 I'd been trying to act within my authority, 510 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,920 and I'd been countermanded by my boss. 511 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,000 Linda Ham knew that NASA's history with the Department of Defense 512 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,160 in using spy satellites 513 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,680 was a little bit chequered. 514 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,120 There had been a previous mission 515 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:18,200 where the landing parachute door came off on launch 516 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,360 so the orbiter was flying with a parachute without its door. 517 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,720 NASA made a request to get some kind of imagery. 518 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:29,080 However, the photos didn't help much. 519 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,920 INTERVIEWER: OK, so, even if you could get photographs 520 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,760 it doesn't mean they'll necessarily show anything? 521 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,120 I think they were a little bit embarrassed in the end about asking. 522 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:42,200 And NASA never wants to look stupid. 523 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,560 NASA wants to be the agency with the answers. 524 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,640 If you'd have said, 525 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:51,640 "Linda, two different people need this information, 526 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,080 "their departments are both asking, are you aware?" 527 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:56,800 That may have changed the course of events. 528 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,000 Could I have argued with her? Maybe. 529 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,480 But did I get the impression that her mind was made up 530 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,160 and, you know, that was the end of that? 531 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,440 That's kind of where I was. Is it not worth it 532 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,960 when there's seven people who could be in a...? 533 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:12,120 That's easy for you to say in retrospect. 534 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,560 Then, I wasn't really concerned about it. 535 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,880 I was going to be a good soldier. 536 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:21,600 So, I called Air Force Base and said, "I know I made this request. 537 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:23,800 "Turns out we don't need it. 538 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,760 "Forget I asked about it." 539 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,880 I was told that we would not be getting images. 540 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:40,000 I got angry and confused. 541 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,080 "What does this mean?" 542 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:46,000 So I emailed Paul Shack. 543 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,960 "Why? Did you do anything about it?" No reply. No reply. 544 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:51,480 So, I called him and I got him. 545 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,680 He was shouting at me. 546 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:55,000 You can't call it an argument 547 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,400 because an argument takes two people shouting 548 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,720 and just one was shouting in this case. 549 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,760 I ask him, "Why are you ignoring? 550 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:06,720 "You didn't reply to my email. Why? I was asking why you didn't respond. 551 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:08,240 "Now I have you." 552 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,200 Well, I got sarcastic. 553 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:14,440 I said, "Don't be a Chicken Little." 554 00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:18,520 NARRATOR: Here is Chicken Little. 555 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:19,960 A little shy on brains, 556 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:22,960 but a good egg as chickens go. 557 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:26,240 I knew that story in the American folklore. 558 00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:29,040 Hurry, hurry! The sky is falling! 559 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,280 I've seen the cartoon. He is portrayed as easily frightened. 560 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:34,760 Just like I told you! Hit me on the head! 561 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,840 And the lesson is, Chicken Little is not to be trusted. 562 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:40,760 Chicken Little always gets excited. 563 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:42,960 Paul Shack treated me as if I were 564 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,960 the well-intentioned-but-silly chicken. 565 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,640 I was very upset and angry 566 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:54,320 and disappointed with my engineering organisations top to bottom. 567 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,120 There's a ticking clock. 568 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:58,080 We were losing time. 569 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:00,880 This is an email I drafted. 570 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:02,960 "In my humble technical opinion, 571 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:07,800 "this is the wrong, and bordering on irresponsible, answer 572 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:12,400 "not to request additional imaging help from any outside source. 573 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,920 "Remember the NASA safety posters everywhere around stating, 574 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:18,680 "'If it's not safe, say-so'? 575 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:22,240 "Yes, it's that serious!" 576 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:26,920 I felt the need to draft that email with that strong language, 577 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:31,520 and the strongest word in there is accusatory, "irresponsible". 578 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:35,320 But I struggled on sending it or not sending it. 579 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,880 I thought, "The astronauts trust us. 580 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:43,120 "They're in the mission, we're protecting their lives. 581 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,240 "They want to believe that we're doing the very best for them." 582 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,640 But I would be going against all of my engineering management, 583 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:55,880 and I was afraid about my future career. 584 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,480 I was married and we had a child, 585 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:01,560 had a home, had a mortgage. 586 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,200 And I did not send it in the end. 587 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,880 I remember, that Wednesday night when I came home from work, 588 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,240 he showed me the email 589 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:19,240 that he had not sent. 590 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:21,520 He was very agitated... 591 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:24,280 ..very frustrated, 592 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:27,360 because he wasn't sure what to do. 593 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,680 The thrust was, finish the analysis 594 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,880 even though you have no information 595 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,800 on which to base your analysis. 596 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:42,120 He said, "It's like being asked 597 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,680 "to analyse a car accident 598 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:48,280 "that has just happened outside, 599 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:51,960 "but you're not allowed to look out the window." 600 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,800 The photo denial forced us into a rock and a hard place. 601 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:00,600 We have to produce an analysis anyway, without a photo. 602 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:30,880 Now we play volleyball. 603 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:38,960 And football. 604 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:42,600 Bicycle kick. 605 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,720 "You guys are doing a fantastic job staying on timeline 606 00:38:15,720 --> 00:38:17,520 "and accomplishing great science. 607 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,840 "There is one item that I would like to make you aware of. 608 00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:25,440 "This item is not even worth mentioning, 609 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,560 "other than wanting to make sure 610 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:30,600 "that you are not surprised by it in a question from a reporter. 611 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:34,680 "During ascent, at approximately 80 seconds, 612 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:36,000 "some debris came loose 613 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,880 "and subsequently impacted the orbiter left wing. 614 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,840 "Experts have reviewed the high-speed photography 615 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:45,480 "and there is absolutely no concern for entry. That is all for now. 616 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,960 "It is a pleasure working with you every day." 617 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:53,080 INTERVIEWER: How reassuring does that seem to be? 618 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:55,000 Oh, OK, so they saw something. 619 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:56,960 They're taking care of it. 620 00:38:56,960 --> 00:38:59,120 This email was... 621 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,400 ..too short, too sweet, too easy. 622 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:17,800 I really love seeing a team to come together. 623 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:22,200 And the bigger team who makes this entire mission possible... 624 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:25,880 ..is the team on the ground 625 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:29,560 and all the folks who work in Mission Control, all the folks who 626 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:31,880 work at the different NASA centres. 627 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:33,880 It's just such a great feeling 628 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:38,000 for me to see everybody working together as a team like that. 629 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,960 LINDA HAM: OK, good morning and welcome to the MMT. 630 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:49,720 Friday morning, Rodney's team presented their analysis. 631 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:03,920 I wasn't presenting the results of our analysis. 632 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,960 The protocol was that a senior engineer would 633 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:08,960 present on our behalf. 634 00:40:22,240 --> 00:40:28,280 We all knew that if the engineers find out that this is bad, 635 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:30,680 there is nothing we can do. 636 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:35,280 If the heat shield was lost, that was just the endgame. 637 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:39,680 RODNEY ROCHA: The presentation showed five scenarios 638 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:42,920 that we were analysing over the past few days. 639 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:47,880 Rodney's concern was uncertainty in where the damage was. 640 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,400 The way they compensated for that 641 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:54,440 was to analyse multiple possible locations. 642 00:40:54,440 --> 00:40:56,720 Instead of analysing this area, 643 00:40:56,720 --> 00:40:59,160 we're going to analyse THIS area. 644 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:14,800 "It would cause localised heating, 645 00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:16,680 "but no burnthrough," 646 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:19,480 I believe, were the words that they used. 647 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:27,600 RODNEY ROCHA: When we completed the analysis, 648 00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:30,680 none of the scenarios showed a fatal outcome. 649 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:38,800 I felt some relief. I thought we were in good shape. I believed him. 650 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:40,920 I mean, you know, that's what you want to hear. 651 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:43,680 You don't want to hear, "We're going to lose the vehicle." 652 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,040 What's missing in that is we should have 653 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:48,560 had, in bold face, at the very beginning, 654 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:51,880 "These are engineering assumption cases. 655 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,040 "We do not know, without extra data, 656 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:57,760 "whether these are actual representations of reality." 657 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:16,480 A "turnaround issue" - what they meant was "some level of repair". 658 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:18,520 INTERVIEWER: So, when Columbia comes back? 659 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:22,000 When it comes back, but nothing really bad, that bad. 660 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:23,960 Just local repair. 661 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:25,840 Patch it up and let's go again. 662 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:28,120 And that's what was being communicated to Linda Ham? 663 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:31,560 That everything was OK? Yes. Yes. Yes. 664 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:35,720 Even though you all sat there and thought it wasn't OK? Yes. 665 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:37,160 What, you didn't... 666 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:39,400 You didn't... She was in the room with you. 667 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:41,120 She was in the room with us. 668 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:44,320 So, what prevented you from going to talk to her? 669 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:47,040 The chain-of-command protocol. 670 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:50,280 You don't approach managers directly. 671 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,520 You're... You know, you're a grown man, 672 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:54,720 and you're in the room with only 12 people. 673 00:42:54,720 --> 00:42:57,760 I'm a grown man with grown men telling me not to do that. 674 00:42:57,760 --> 00:42:59,240 There are other grown men 675 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:02,120 with power and authority saying, "Don't do that." 676 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:04,160 What would have been the repercussions 677 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:05,760 of talking to her in that room? 678 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:09,640 I don't know if... 679 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:14,200 I don't know. 680 00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:35,200 My thoughts at the time of... 681 00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:39,640 I feared the worst, but I hoped for the best. 682 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:45,960 Most people, I think the psychology is, 683 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,360 avoid even thinking about the worst. 684 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:51,520 You don't want to face that fear that... 685 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:56,160 That issue that is the worst. 686 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,960 We've got an announcement that we'd like to make. 687 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:12,920 It is today that we remember 688 00:44:12,920 --> 00:44:16,640 and honour the crews of Apollo 1 and Challenger. 689 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:18,920 They made the ultimate sacrifice, 690 00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:23,160 giving their lives and service to their country and for all mankind. 691 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:27,040 Their dedication and devotion to the exploration of space 692 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:29,200 was an inspiration to each of us, 693 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:33,400 and still motivates people around the world to achieve great things 694 00:44:33,400 --> 00:44:34,800 in service to others. 695 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:38,640 As we orbit the Earth, we will join the entire NASA family 696 00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:41,400 for a moment of silence in their memory. 697 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,040 Our thoughts and prayers go to their families, as well. 698 00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:55,160 One day, during the mission, 699 00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:57,920 I worked Mission Control and it was like 2am. 700 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:00,040 You know, the graveyard shift. 701 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:04,160 I was reviewing the notes of the mission, 702 00:45:04,160 --> 00:45:07,240 and then, here's this foam issue. 703 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:12,240 Me and my colleague we were reading that, 704 00:45:12,240 --> 00:45:16,080 and I remember saying, "Well, that's unusual." 705 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:18,160 We actually had this discussion of, 706 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:21,120 "Hey, you can use a family conference to talk to Laurel 707 00:45:21,120 --> 00:45:22,760 "and find out what they knew." 708 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:27,000 And you got to remember the hat you're wearing 709 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:29,520 is your flight surgeon hat, not your family hat. 710 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:31,760 INTERVIEWER: What did he mean by that in this case? 711 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:34,240 You found out this information in the context 712 00:45:34,240 --> 00:45:36,080 of not being a family member, 713 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:39,120 but being a NASA employee on the mission. 714 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:43,440 It actually would have broken protocol for me 715 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:47,520 to bring up an issue to a crew member, 716 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:50,280 even though it's my wife, 717 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:52,920 without going through the official channels. 718 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:24,040 And when you spoke to Laurel in the video conference, 719 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:27,240 did it cross your mind to bring it up then? No. You know why? 720 00:46:27,240 --> 00:46:31,080 Because that conference was for Iain and Laurel, 721 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:32,800 and I was a bystander. 722 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:38,640 I remember a certain sense of relief. 723 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:42,440 Like, it's almost over. She's almost back, kind of, yeah. 724 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,800 I knew she was going to come back. 725 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:07,920 I never had a question in my mind. 726 00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:44,640 UPBEAT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYS 727 00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:47,120 LINDA HAM: Columbia, Houston. Good morning, 728 00:47:47,120 --> 00:47:50,520 and we're looking forward to our last day on orbit with you. 729 00:47:58,720 --> 00:48:01,360 Thanks, Mike, we've all enjoyed the mission down here. 730 00:48:01,360 --> 00:48:04,240 And I think that music woke up the Control Center, too. 731 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:08,760 You know, it's been a long 16 days, 732 00:48:08,760 --> 00:48:13,040 and so, we're all just super excited to see our loved ones again 733 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:14,560 and just be back to normal, 734 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:16,120 whatever that looks like. 735 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:21,080 And the kids decorated the house for his homecoming 736 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:22,680 and our neighbours put up flags. 737 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:29,160 REPORTER: Given the fact that you may have lost a little bit of tile 738 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:31,600 during lift-off, I'm wondering if there is going to be 739 00:48:31,600 --> 00:48:35,480 anything different about the entry profile, taking that into regard? 740 00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:37,400 No, there isn't. 741 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:39,680 We, the engineers and analysts, 742 00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:42,280 took a very thorough look at the situation 743 00:48:42,280 --> 00:48:44,640 with the tile on the left wing, 744 00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,480 and we have no concerns whatsoever. 745 00:48:48,520 --> 00:48:51,280 All of the analysis says that we have plenty of margin 746 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:53,320 and that the impact could not have been, 747 00:48:53,320 --> 00:48:56,240 from this particular material, significant enough... 748 00:48:56,240 --> 00:48:59,360 ..and therefore we haven't changed anything 749 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,000 with respect to our trajectory design. 750 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:03,880 So, nothing, nothing different. 751 00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:06,120 It'll be nominal, standard trajectory. 752 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:17,920 And as we said, Columbia coming back, 753 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:20,880 it's been 16 days now since she left the Kennedy Space Center. 754 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:21,960 This is the route. 755 00:49:26,320 --> 00:49:28,320 I remember getting up that day 756 00:49:28,320 --> 00:49:32,720 and we were staying right next to Banana River. 757 00:49:32,720 --> 00:49:34,800 We got up and there were dolphin in the water 758 00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:36,160 and looking at the dolphin, 759 00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:38,440 thinking it looked like a picture-perfect day. 760 00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:42,080 I mean, it was so pretty and everything was so pleasant. 761 00:49:44,080 --> 00:49:46,960 We show page A1-15 complete. 762 00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:50,560 MISSION CONTROL: And, Rick, we copy. 763 00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:54,520 I just remember standing out on the balcony with Laura 764 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:56,320 and watching the sunrise 765 00:49:56,320 --> 00:50:00,560 and just saying to her, "This is a day you'll never forget." 766 00:50:00,560 --> 00:50:03,280 We're about 42 minutes away from an engine firing 767 00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:05,280 that would begin Columbia's descent. 768 00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:08,720 The crew, in the final stages of their preparations now, 769 00:50:08,720 --> 00:50:10,240 are taking their seats. 770 00:50:10,240 --> 00:50:12,920 At the commander seat, Rick Husband. 771 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:14,520 Pilot Willie McCool. 772 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:35,000 I was desperately waiting for my mom to come back. 773 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:42,280 The thing I was most excited about was just... 774 00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:47,800 ..holding her again and talking to her. 775 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:52,400 They put bleachers close to the runway 776 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:55,680 and you're driven down there with your friends and family 777 00:50:55,680 --> 00:50:58,200 that you have invited for the landing. 778 00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:01,080 They had speakers and you could hear Rick talking. 779 00:51:05,240 --> 00:51:07,600 MISSION CONTROL: Rick, we're ready for the manoeuvre. 780 00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:15,480 RODNEY ROCHA: I did not usually come in for a landing. 781 00:51:15,480 --> 00:51:17,360 To me, those were so routine. 782 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:19,920 Usually, the orbiter has been working well, 783 00:51:19,920 --> 00:51:21,720 they have a good weather call. 784 00:51:21,720 --> 00:51:24,920 But I had this wing concern because of the impact. 785 00:51:24,920 --> 00:51:26,720 So I said, "I will go in." 786 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:31,440 I realised that most of those people at those consoles, 787 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,680 they don't know anything that's been going on for two weeks. 788 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:36,080 They've been looking at 789 00:51:36,080 --> 00:51:37,880 the condition of this system, this system, 790 00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:39,880 but they don't know any other history. 791 00:51:41,160 --> 00:51:46,160 I was the Lead Entry Ground Controller for the STS-107 mission. 792 00:51:47,240 --> 00:51:50,720 My primary thing is getting the spacecraft up onto orbit 793 00:51:50,720 --> 00:51:52,400 and getting it back down safely. 794 00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:57,040 That morning, the atmosphere was upbeat, there's no issues. 795 00:51:57,040 --> 00:52:00,800 We work with the crew to go through check outs of the orbiter systems. 796 00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:03,200 Rick, we're ready. 797 00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:04,560 Here it comes. 798 00:52:04,560 --> 00:52:05,840 Looks good. 799 00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:09,600 We got all of our systems ready, 800 00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:11,920 all the sensors ready and we 801 00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:14,320 prepared for the de-orbit preparation, 802 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:17,240 which is you convert the space shuttle 803 00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:20,480 from a spacecraft to a re-entry vehicle. 804 00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:24,160 Everything was proceeding normally that day. 805 00:52:25,200 --> 00:52:28,920 The big thing that I remember really paying attention to 806 00:52:28,920 --> 00:52:31,920 shortly before landing was the weather. 807 00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:35,480 MISSION CONTROL: Flight controllers are currently monitoring the fog 808 00:52:35,480 --> 00:52:37,920 that has limited visibility but is dissipating. 809 00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:41,600 Because obviously, it's just critical to have decent visibility, 810 00:52:41,600 --> 00:52:43,960 no big weather issues when you're landing. 811 00:52:43,960 --> 00:52:47,840 Flight Director LeRoy Cain discussing weather conditions 812 00:52:47,840 --> 00:52:50,160 at present with forecasters here. 813 00:52:50,160 --> 00:52:52,560 LeRoy was the person in charge. 814 00:52:52,560 --> 00:52:55,760 So, everybody on their consoles are monitoring their own systems 815 00:52:55,760 --> 00:52:58,480 and they're all reporting into LeRoy what they're seeing. 816 00:52:58,480 --> 00:53:00,440 MMACS and GNC, you're ready? 817 00:53:00,440 --> 00:53:02,800 Flight-MMACS, we're ready. GNC is go. 818 00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:04,520 OK. 819 00:53:04,520 --> 00:53:06,040 Columbia, Houston. 820 00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:08,080 Go ahead, Houston. 821 00:53:08,080 --> 00:53:11,160 Hey, Rick, I guess you've been wondering, 822 00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:14,040 but you are go for the de-orbit burn. 823 00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:16,800 We are happy with the weather at KSC, you are go for the burn. 824 00:53:18,320 --> 00:53:21,320 De-orbit burn is a major decision in the process. 825 00:53:21,320 --> 00:53:24,040 Once that de-orbit burn is made, 826 00:53:24,040 --> 00:53:26,600 you are committed to landing. 827 00:53:26,600 --> 00:53:28,120 They're coming home. 828 00:53:28,120 --> 00:53:31,640 One way or the other, they're coming home. 829 00:53:31,640 --> 00:53:33,160 Columbia, Houston. 830 00:53:33,160 --> 00:53:36,320 Good burn, no trim required. 831 00:53:36,320 --> 00:53:39,040 We copy and concur, Houston. Thanks. 832 00:53:39,040 --> 00:53:41,040 Then we'll meet you in post-burn. 833 00:53:43,120 --> 00:53:45,880 REPORTER: Columbia's altitude now 71 statute miles 834 00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:49,000 as it enters Earth's atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean. 835 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:51,720 Its speed, 17,000 mph. 836 00:54:26,120 --> 00:54:27,760 THEY LAUGH 837 00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:50,920 REPORTER: Columbia approaching the coast of California now. 838 00:54:50,920 --> 00:54:54,760 Wings level, nose angled up 40 degrees to control heating. 839 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:03,640 Flight, MMACS 840 00:55:03,640 --> 00:55:04,840 Go ahead, MMACS. 841 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:08,920 FYI, I've just lost four separate temperature transducers 842 00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:12,880 on the left side of the vehicle, hydraulic return temperatures. 843 00:55:16,320 --> 00:55:19,160 RODNEY ROCHA: As time goes on, we start seeing anomalies. 844 00:55:20,360 --> 00:55:22,800 Sensors are starting to fail. 845 00:55:22,800 --> 00:55:25,640 I mean, you're telling me you lost them all at exactly the same time? 846 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:27,000 No, not exactly. 847 00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:29,680 They were within probably four or five seconds of each other. 848 00:55:34,240 --> 00:55:37,680 There was something that we didn't understand going on. 849 00:55:39,520 --> 00:55:41,800 And I remember asking my team, you know, 850 00:55:41,800 --> 00:55:43,320 "Just make double sure. 851 00:55:43,320 --> 00:55:45,280 "Let's double-check all of our data." 852 00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:48,800 OK. Where is that instrumentation located? 853 00:55:50,960 --> 00:55:53,960 All four of them are located in the aft part of the left wing. 854 00:55:56,240 --> 00:55:58,480 Something has gone very wrong. 855 00:55:58,480 --> 00:56:00,040 And it is the left wing. 856 00:56:02,960 --> 00:56:05,320 That's the stomach punch right there. 857 00:56:11,520 --> 00:56:14,520 And, Columbia, Houston, we see your tyre pressure messages 858 00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:16,200 and we did not copy your last... 859 00:56:16,200 --> 00:56:18,560 Roger... 860 00:56:16,200 --> 00:56:18,560 STATIC CRACKLES 861 00:56:27,320 --> 00:56:30,440 At some point, we lost comm with the crew, 862 00:56:30,440 --> 00:56:32,120 but that's actually common. 863 00:56:32,120 --> 00:56:34,520 I mean, you don't have communications 864 00:56:34,520 --> 00:56:36,560 all the way through entry, 865 00:56:36,560 --> 00:56:39,240 so that didn't initially get my attention. 866 00:56:39,240 --> 00:56:41,160 Columbia, Houston. Comm check. 867 00:56:43,360 --> 00:56:47,760 MMACS: We've also lost the nose gear down talkback 868 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:50,520 and the right main gear down talkback. 869 00:56:50,520 --> 00:56:53,040 RODNEY ROCHA: Everybody started to lose sensors. 870 00:56:53,040 --> 00:56:55,840 They were getting no telemetry whatsoever. 871 00:56:55,840 --> 00:57:00,120 The screens were just going blank, reading nothing, just turning off. 872 00:57:00,120 --> 00:57:02,960 Columbia, Houston. UHF, comm check. 873 00:57:19,840 --> 00:57:22,560 There was a tenseness coming into the room. 874 00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:25,320 My focus was forward. 875 00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:29,960 You know, trying to get something to report to flight that was useful. 876 00:57:31,160 --> 00:57:33,280 But there wasn't anything. 877 00:57:37,240 --> 00:57:39,960 Columbia, Houston. UHF, comm check. 878 00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:43,600 Oh, it was...it was painful. 879 00:57:45,800 --> 00:57:48,040 He makes the call. We hear nothing. 880 00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:52,360 You look at the screen 881 00:57:52,360 --> 00:57:55,520 and the tracking hadn't moved from the Dallas area. 882 00:57:57,360 --> 00:57:58,720 FDO, do you have any tracking? 883 00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:00,200 No, sir. 884 00:58:11,960 --> 00:58:13,920 So, at the console that I was at, 885 00:58:13,920 --> 00:58:16,520 we had an off-duty flight director 886 00:58:16,520 --> 00:58:19,280 who called our console and said, 887 00:58:19,280 --> 00:58:21,680 "Hey, I'm watching the landing on TV 888 00:58:21,680 --> 00:58:25,160 "and they're showing this debris in the sky." 889 00:58:25,160 --> 00:58:30,040 INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION 890 00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:40,560 INAUDIBLE 891 00:58:40,560 --> 00:58:44,600 ELLEN OCHOA, VOICEOVER: That's when we realised it really was bad.