The problem with the investigation into foam loss on STS-107 was that when they tested small sections of foam, it was free of material defects. At the time, inv

The problem with the investigation into foam loss on STS-107 was that when they tested small sections of foam, it was free of material defects. At the time, investigators concluded incorrectly, by exclusion, that it must have been faulty installation that caused the loss of the shuttle. NASA management blamed those workers for the loss of Columbia. When Discovery's External Tank had cracks and found it was cracking from thermal stresses. This meant that the blaming it on faulty installation was wrong, and for which Wayne Hale apologized.