🚀 go-pugleaf

Greetings folks.

I noticed something during the last launch and was wondering if
anyone else saw it. It seemed pretty obvious to me and I was waiting
to see someone else post it, but no post.

I've played the tape about 100 times in every conceivable mode (slow,
forward, backward, still frames, color, b+w). I didn't want to post
this but it's been a bug in my...

Ok, the most recent launch of the shuttle, between about 80,000 feet and
about 110,000 feet. The bottom of the external tank looks like it's,
um, "flaming". I hope I'm wrong. I'd like to be told it's just a heat
shield burning off, or some excess hydrogen burning in the SRB flame.
Even just ice crystals falling off the tank and being illuminated by the
flames from the engines.

I know it was a night launch and we're probably seeing things we don't
normally see during the day, but *hey*.

Can someone check their tapes and tell me what they see?

Here's the timeline from the tape as broadcast on CNN. They had the
NASA feed in a little box on the screen with generated numbers
indicating (very) approximate altitude and speed and (seemingly
accurate) time since lauch:

Funny symbols:
	* = updated by CNN every 3-5 seconds, not very accurate.
	** = left SRB as I mean it is from behind, tail pointing up.

Disclaimer: The word "flames" is used below to indicate the optical or other
            effect which is unknown by me at the present time. It is not
            meant to foster or incite any reciprocal flames in net-readers.

            The "flames" are not the kind one sees from solid boosters
            (like Estes rockets and SRBs). They are more like the flame
            one sees when one pours lighter fluid on a BBQ and lights it.

comment #
(see below)    time     speed*  altitude(feet)*
-------------------------------------------------
   1          1:34.2    1,860       80,800
   2          1:34.8    1,860??(sic)80,800??(sic)
   3          1:35.7    2,040       89,800
   4          1:38.0    2,040(sic)  89,800(sic)
   5          1:43.6	2,225       94,300
   6          1:49.1	2,405       109,300

comments
--------
1) First sign of increased brightness from ET bottom.
2) First sign of "flames".
3) "flames" grow, fill area between ET and "left"** SRB (closest to camera).
4) "flames" look to be coming from the bottom of the ET and the tank-side of
	the left SRB.
5) "flames" seem to stop coming from "tank-side" of "left" SRB.
6) All "flames" seem to stop as the view of the bottom of the ET and the
	"left" SRB are hidden by the SRB plume.

Please. Tell me I'm wrong. Thank you.
Seth
-- 
seth@vax.ftp.com, ...ftp!poopsie!seth, 18 Rindge Av, Camb. Ma, 02140 USA Earth