Columbia Accident Investigation BoardCAIB board members Maj. General Kenneth W. Hess and Rear Admiral. Turcotte examine debris at KSC.Reconstruction Team members discuss debris with CAIB board member Dr. Douglas D. Osheroff.Board members are briefed on computerized 3D Modeling efforts used on key pieces of debris as an investigative tool.Board members examine debris that is identified as coming from near the left wheel well area.CAIB Chairman Gehman discusses the shuttle Columbia debris reconstruction layout on the hanger floor.Expert witness, Steve Altemus, answers questions from the board regarding the reconstruction effort.Cards and letters from children hang on a wall in the Columbia reconstruction hangar at Kennedy Space Center. Photographed at...Closeup of a left main landing gear uplock roller from STS-107. Found February 19, 2003 near Chireno, TX.A Reconstruction Team member examines debris with a video-microscope searching for clues that will give investigators a better understanding of...One of the larger pieces of recovered debris is Columbia’s nose gear shown here with tires still intact.Columbia data recorderColumbia data recorderOrbiter Processing FacilityOrbiter Processing Facility.Columbia main engine powerhead recovered from Fort Polk in Louisiana.Columbia main engine powerhead recovered from Fort Polk in Louisiana.One of the right main landing gear tires from STS-107.A Reconstruction Team member identifies recovered TPS (Thermal Protection System) Tiles. Columbia had more than 20,000 tiles on its surface.Main landing gear uplock roller from STS-107. Found February 19, 2003 near Chireno, TX.Main landing gear uplock roller from STS-107. Found February 19, 2003 near Chireno, TX.Columbia window lying exterior-side up. Photographed at the Columbia reconstruction hangar at KSC on March 3, 2003.A Reconstruction Team member uses 1:1 engineering drawings as a tool in the process of identifying recovered Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC)...These pieces of RCC (Reinforced Carbon Carbon) illustrate how identified pieces of the debris puzzle were laid-out together on the...A Reconstruction Team member matches puzzle pieces of Columbia debris materialLooking down the line of identified main fuselage debris located on the grid system in the hangar.Close up of the Crew Hatch lying exterior-side up. Photographed at the Columbia reconstruction hangar at KSC on March 3,...The crew hatch is located in the center of the photo with surrounding latch mechanisms lying nearby. Photographed at the...Left Wheel WellOverhead image of STS-107 debris layout at Kennedy Space Center.Photo taken Flight Day One, Orbit Five, approximately 6 p.m. CST, of STS-107 left wing on orbit.Piece of STS-107 left wing underside, forward and inboard of the corner of the left main landing gear door. Delivered...Right main landing gear door from STS-107 in three pieces (front to back).The left inboard main landing gear tire from STS-107.Sample of Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) material. RCC is a graphite reinforced carbon composite matrix coated with a silicone carbide...Sample of an actual Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) T-seal cross-section shows the rounded “locking” side and flat “sliding” side of...Scott Hubbard, CAIB board member, inspects damaged RCC panel #8 following test.Scott Hubbard, CAIB board member, inspects damaged RCC panel #8 following test.Air Gun at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX used for shuttle External Tank foam insulation impact tests....Left wing test article prior to foam impact test. Panels 5, 6, and 7 and T-Seals 5/6 and 6/7 (from...Wing leading edge test article after impact test clearly shows an approximate 16 inch hole in RCC panel 8. This...