In this exclusive UPI article posted on Rense.com, former shuttle commander Navy Capt. Robert (Hoot) Gibson, now retired, describes at least two earlier Columbia missions where "... its left wing experienced a critical aerodynamic shift too early -- prematurely increasing heating and drag on that wing."

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"NASA knew about the early aerodynamic shifts at the time and was told by Gibson about a particular roughness he had discovered on the surface of Columbia's left wing. Experts confirmed to UPI that the roughness might have caused the premature aerodynamic shift.

"The increase in drag on the left wing, particularly if made worse by tile damage, may have been enough to cause the vehicle to fly sideways, something the vehicle might not survive, said Anderson, the curator for aerodynamics at the National Air and Space Museum."

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