Some information available through the reporting system could have helped to prevent the accident. For example, the day after launch, the Intercenter Photo Working Group personnel received pictures that revealed a debris strike at 81.9 seconds after launch. The group did not notice this bit of information while reviewing videos from tracking cameras within two hours of launch.
They had to wait until the next day for this information as the reporting system worked overnight to process and produce high-resolution photographs. The better quality pictures revealed a large object from the external tank’s bipod area struck the orbiter, impacting the left wing’s underside. The striking object was utterly large and impacted the orbiter at significant momentum, and the Intercenter Photo Working Group was concerned about this occurrence. The personnel also believed that the vehicle might have sustained other damages not detectable by the available tracking cameras.
Although the Intercenter Photo Working Group’s information arrived the next day after the launch, it could have contributed to eradicating the accident had the decision team used it properly. They needed to cancel the mission because they did not fully understand the damages caused by the impact. However, there were concerns that these could be serious damages because the object was big and hit the space vehicle at high momentum. Instead, the decision team ordered an investigation of the potential damage without giving the tasked team special equipment for the job.
They had to use their naked eye to assess the images sent to them. In the meantime, senior officials at NASA exchanged emails about the debris strike and continued with seemingly never-ending discussions rather than taking action immediately to avert a lingering catastrophe. Had the decision-makers taken some of the information available through the reporting system seriously, they would have prevented the accident.