In the months since Columbia had at last been mated to its rocket boosters and fuel tank and rolled out to the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, the press and public had come to regard the project with renewed awe, the years of doubt and recrimination about the Aluminum Dumbo suddenly forgotten.
128. Pres and press, once rolled out held shuttle with renewed enthusiasm. Resnik asked about romance in space, "too cute to be an astronaut"-Tom Brokaw.
132. Parts of launch could break and sheer rocket, including tiles, no way to repair in space.
136. NRO saves the day, no serious damage to tiles.
140. Mission sucess was coming back alive.
141. New NASA admin aims high towards a space economy.
143. Post flight inspection shows damged O-Rings, foreshadowing.
