During NASA's 27th Shuttle Launch of STS-27 during an operation to release the payload, which was eventually determined to be a Lacrosse Surveillance satellite, "Atlantis" lost part of its protective heat shield during lift off, which substantially damaged the underside of the right wing, damaging more than 700 tiles, which caused the melting of aluminum plating during reentry. Before return to Earth, the Commander Robert L. Gibson thought to himself "We are going to die." due to the extensive damage to the wing. Due to the secretive nature of the "Atlantis's" payload, the crew was forced to use a more secure encrypted transmission, which had more than likely been received at a low quality. NASA engineers thought the damage was just an optical illusion of light and shadows, and as a result the crew was infuriated. During reentry, Robert L. Gibson, the commander for the mission, returned the Shuttle safely. Upon inspection the Shuttle's bottom right wing was seen to be severely damaged in critical areas. Ultimately, the same fate would eventually be the result that destroyed the Space Shuttle "Columbia" in 2003, due to tile failures, which resulted in the "Columbia" being ripped apart on reentry. Had "Atlantis" been destroyed during the mission in 1988, more than likely the second destruction of an Orbiter would have set NASA back at least two years, forced a redesign of the fuel tanks foam coverings and the fragile heat shield plating, or it would have forced NASA to close down the Shuttle Program 22 years before it actually ended.