By Der Voron, author of book Starcraft

Let us analyze the facts:

1) The breakup occurred at a very great height, over 40 miles. This excludes any possibility for the supposed Earth-based attacker to shoot it down with existing land-to-air missiles, as none of them are able to reach the height of even close to 40 miles. Others may entertain the possibility of an attack, with the use of special missiles or laser guns, launched by a Russian satellite, another space device, or a Russian high-altitude strategic bomber (e.g. TU-95 or TU-160) that somehow could approach or cross the US border. Those who believe that this is the truth may use, as a kind of "supportive information", the following fact: just about 20 minutes after the crash, RosAviaCosmos, the Russian space agency, declared that it might have been caused by a technical defect. But the problem is that some other specialists made their own (different) claims in the same time period.

2) Some sources, including RosAviaCosmos, claim that a little fragment of Shuttle's protective surface layer that had fallen off the Shuttle during its start on January 16, 2003, caused the formation of further splits, which then resulted in an explosion. Other sources, however, claim that during the time the Columbia was in the orbit, NASA specialists analyzed this problem and came to conclusion that it couldn't influence the flight. This sounds a bit odd, since unprotected areas can very easily get caught in fire -- because of air friction.

So actually, there may be two explanations for Columbia's crash:

I) Hot air friction sparked a fire in the damaged (unprotected) area while Columbia was descending at a speed of about 3.8 miles per second. The fire burnt through the unprotected area, and then reached the internal areas of the shuttle, its engines and fuel tanks.

The problem with this scenario is that it could as easily have occurred during the shuttle's takeoff, when its speed and air friction were approximately the same as when landing, and when the shuttle had much more fuel than during landing.

II) It was shot down by extraterrestrials. Maybe they didn't use any weapons to crash it, but simply approached it in their craft, causing Columbia's electronics and engines to fail because of the effects of the alien starcraft's electromagnetic fields. It also may be that an alien craft had approached the Columbia without any malicious intent, but that its electromagnetic field's effects on Columbia's electronics and engines were unforeseen by the aliens.

This, however, doesn't explain why the shuttle exploded in the air, instead of merely plummeting to the Earth. Thus, the more likely scenario is that Columbia was shot down by the alien craft.

If so, the question arises: what did the aliens wish to show mankind by their action? Possibly that oil-based engines (which are used even by such advanced craft as space shuttles) have almost reached their peak effectiveness and reliability -- and that it is time to develop and actively use alternative and more reliable engines. Today's weapons and missiles, which are much less effective than ray and/or laser weapons, face approximately the same condition. (Some weapons were reportedly tested by the Columbia's crew during the flight, perhaps by the crew members who were simultaneously active [non-retired] military aircraft pilots: US Air Force colonel Rick Husband and Israeli Air Force colonel Ilan Ramon).

...Moreover just two or three days after the crash, President Bush admitted that aliens exist. But who on the Earth can know for sure how all this was in reality?

*sniff sniff* Jesus, it stinks in here!

- Warren

it could as easily have occurred during the shuttle's takeoff, when its speed and air friction were approximately the same as when landing, and when the shuttle had much more fuel than during landing.

1) I may be wrong, but given the fact that the speed of the shuttle is increasing, not decreasing during liftoff, and that the air would flow over the shuttle easier than reentry, where it is using the air resistance as a brake, I don't think the two forces are equal.

2) fuel has nothing to do with it. There was most likely a breach of some sort, that cascaded into structure failure. Unless you want to explore sabotage, another option you didn't list.

I'm holding to the notion of space debris, manmade or otherwise, until proven otherwise. It's a known fact there's all sort of high speed crap out there...the shuttle's been hit before by it.

One change definitely needs to be made, that of at least being able to examine potential exterior damage. They may not have been able to do anything about it even if they had known of damage, but at least we'd know for sure the cause.

Mars Attacks!

...And as usual they kill "the flying birds" first;)


...Or maybe it was the first israeli suicide bomber WHO KNOWS???

We know that something caused excessive friction at or near the left wheel well. The temperature inside the wheel well had increased by 30 degrees very rapidly just before sensors quit working. A tire the size of the ones on the shuttle would make one hell of an explosion if it burst from overheating. And that would open a gaping hole which would rapidly destroy the shuttle. A piece of debris the size of a marble could initiate the entire sequence. Was the shuttle destroyed by a blowout?

Possibly...one thing for sure, once things began to go bad, they caused other failures, etc, etc...

It's finding the initial problem that's the issue, and my first thought when I saw the footage of it breaking up was, how in the hell do you piece the evidence back together to find out why? What percentage of Columbia is atomic matter still in the atmosphere?

Then again I was really surprised there were any human remains....they must have been protected the longest.

As far as I know there is nothing radioactive in the space shuttles. Some of the older orbiting craft had small neuclear power plants to supply electricity. But in recent years "fuel cells", like the one we need to put in our automobiles, have been providing the power.

This, however, doesn't explain why the shuttle exploded in the air, instead of merely plummeting to the Earth. Thus, the more likely scenario is that Columbia was shot down by the alien craft. Deliberate mistake to check if people are really reading?

Correction: Just finished reading and wish i hadnt started :p