Re: What if the Columbia [hypothetically] had landing-skids?
I don't think skids would've helped. I don't think an exploding tire is even relevant to the loss of 102. The wing was damaged and failing. Any alleged tire failure would just hasten the end, not be *the* cause.
102 was doomed when the plasma entered the wing, deep in the period of maximum heating. Skids or wheels, the outcome would've been the same.
-Kim-