Columbia Wing Breach

Here's a thought for future space shuttle launches...Spray the leading edges
of the wings with the same foam as the tank. During launch, it would provide
cushioning against impact of breakaway foam from the tank, during reentry,
it would burn off rapidly and not affect aerodynamic performance during
landing.

....Or tell me why it won't work...

Roger Stokes wrote:

Here's a thought for future space shuttle launches...Spray the leading edges
of the wings with the same foam as the tank. During launch, it would provide
cushioning against impact of breakaway foam from the tank, during reentry,
it would burn off rapidly and not affect aerodynamic performance during
landing.

...Or tell me why it won't work...

Interesting idea, but why limit one-self to the same material as the tank?
There may be better choices than THERMAL insulation to protect against and
cushion against a PHYSICAL impact.

It would have to be:

- light
- resiliant
- able to spread the force of impact over a large area
- quick to burn up in the upper atmosphere...

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Roger Stokes wrote:

Here's a thought for future space shuttle launches...Spray the leading edges
of the wings with the same foam as the tank. During launch, it would provide
cushioning against impact of breakaway foam from the tank,

Why, necessairily?

It doesn't follow that tank foam is a good shock absorber, and at the
impact velocities in question, it may be that nothing is.

during reentry,
it would burn off rapidly and not affect aerodynamic performance during
landing.

...Or tell me why it won't work...