wats@scicom.alphacdc.com (Bruce Watson) (10/04/88)
I think I remember seeing this same flicker on the replays of the 51-L accident and felt much better when the boosters were jettisoned. Cable News Network reported that NASA thought it was a backwash (as has been mentioned already in earlier postings) similar to that experienced by a motorcycle rider whose jacket wraps more tightly around him rather than flapping behind him. Anyhow I remembered that the flame th`at caused the breakup of the stack was caused by a relatively small blowtorch-like jet of exhaust gases.