"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Brian Gaff" wrote

Yes, and it is also why the shedding foam can only do serious damage
within the lower atmosphere, as the drag cannot decelerate the chunks
enough to strike with enough force to do harm at that altitude.

Sorry, but you got that one wrong.

The foam does the damage because of the high speed that it has when it
hits the shuttle.

If there was no drag, the foam would not hit with any force; it would be
going the same speed as the shuttle.

When a chunk of foam falls off, it is the drag of the stationary
atmosphere slowing the foam so effectively and rapidly, that causes the
relative closing speeds of the now nearly stationary foam hitting the
speeding shuttle.
--
Jim in NC


OK, now I'm trying to figure out how to insert a magical, imaginary conveyor
belt into this scenario. :-)

TP in FL (Go Gators!)