The Best Part #6 of CAIB Report

In a Jan. 21st email, Linda Ham admits the flight readiness rationale
after STS-112 was "lousy." Here she shows some concern re. the foam
issue (bi-pod foam fell on this flight as well, hitting the SRB). Yet
this doesn't pique her interest enough to thoroughly look into what
amount of damage the foam hit on STS-107 could have done.

(see Chap. 6, pg. 148 of the CAIB final Report for the email:
"From: HAM, LINDA J. (JSC-MA2) (NASA)
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 11:14 AM
To: DITTEMORE, RONALD D. (JSC-MA) (NASA)
Subject: FW: ET Briefing - STS-112 Foam Loss
You probably can't open the attachment. But, the ET rationale for
flight for the STS-112 loss of foam was lousy. Rationale states we
haven't changed anything, we haven't experienced any ‘safety of
flight' damage in 112 flights, risk of loss of bi-pod ramp TPS is same
as previous flghts...So ET is safe to fly with no added risk
Rationale was lousy then and still is....")

Ellen