The latest Timeline from the CAIB (Rev. 15) shows the first unusual event for the Columbia to be 19 sec earlier than in Rev.14, and is listed as follows:
------- Start quote ----------
13:50:00 Five events of unexpected Return link comm drop-out ……on upper left aft antenna (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite 171/W). S-Band comm drop-outs considered out-of-family based on comparison with previous 102 flight data at 39 degrees, into KSC, descending node and similar look angles to Tracking and Data Relay Satellite.
------- End quote ----------
QUESTION: Where is this “upper left aft S-Band antenna “ antenna located on the Shuttle?
There are three S-band antennas (2 Pulse modulated and 1 Frequency Modulated) on the lower forward fuselage, but where is the "upper left aft" antenna?
Since the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite was in the right place and the orbiter was in the correct attitude and the loss of communications was unexpected, it is possible that the antenna was screened by intermittent unexpected plasma. Hence the interest in where exactly this antenna was. Thanks.
