Space Shuttle thermal protection system
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle "Columbia" was destroyed on reentry due to a failure of the TPS. The investigation team found and reported that the probable cause of the accident was that during launch, a piece of foam debris punctured an RCC panel on the left wing's leading edge and allowed hot gases from the reentry to enter the wing and disintegrate the wing from within, leading to eventual loss of control and breakup of the shuttle.
The Miracles
In 1973, the Miracles, with Griffin, re-emerged with the critically acclaimed album, "Renaissance" – their first without Smokey Robinson on lead vocals, which included the Marvin Gaye composition, "I Love You Secretly", "What Is a Heart Good For" (the intended first single), and the charting single,"Don't Let It End (Til You Let It Begin)". The following year, in 1974, after releasing the much-covered single "Give Me Just Another Day", the group had their first top 20 hit in three years with the million-selling funk song, "Do It Baby". This was followed by the top 10 R&B hit, "Don't-Cha Love It." Late that following year, the group recorded the disco smash, "Love Machine", which came off their self-written-and-produced hit album, "City of Angels". "Love Machine" reached number-one on the Hot 100 in early 1976, the Miracles' first since "Tears of a Clown", and later sold over 4.5 million copies. The Miracles, who had long been written off by the music industry, had proven that they could have big hits "without" Robinson. Despite this success,however, in 1976, the Miracles' relationship with Motown imploded during contract renewals after their contract with the label had expired. When Motown, then going through a contract issue with Stevie Wonder, advised the group to wait "six months" to discuss a new contract, the group took on an offer to sign with Columbia Records, signing with them in 1977. Following this, Billy's brother Donald joined them on lead guitar, replacing Marv Tarplin. The group immediately had problems after signing with Columbia, starting with the release of their first Columbia single, "Spy For Brotherhood". Expecting controversy from the single as well as possible threats from the FBI, Columbia pulled the song from the airwaves. The group failed to have a hit during their short Columbia run and in 1978, Pete Moore decided to retire from the road while Billy Griffin wanted to return to his solo career, leading to the group to disband.