10 years ago today...

[Scott R Nelson]

Those of you suggesting a rescue mission seem a bit naive about space flight. You can't get another launch ready to go in less than a week.

Regarding the shuttle, here is a very interesting article written about a year before the first shuttle launch. The author had a pretty good understanding of the risks involved.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea...-fulltext.html

[Uncle Ted]

Those of you suggesting a rescue mission seem a bit naive about space flight. You can't get another launch ready to go in less than a week.

Regarding the shuttle, here is a very interesting article written about a year before the first shuttle launch. The author had a pretty good understanding of the risks involved.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea...-fulltext.html

Yes, even before Columbia the estimated 'catastrophic failure'' rate of the shuttle program was 1 in 78 flights.

[Moliere]

Yes, even before Columbia the estimated 'catastrophic failure'' rate of the shuttle program was 1 in 78 flights.

If you people haven't watched the documentary on the US space program (called When We Left Earth...I think) then you should. Great documentary and talks about the early astronauts, who were not only brilliant minds but crazier daredevils than anything seen in the X games. Dudes had balls of steel.

[scottie]

Those of you suggesting a rescue mission seem a bit naive about space flight. You can't get another launch ready to go in less than a week.

Regarding the shuttle, here is a very interesting article written about a year before the first shuttle launch. The author had a pretty good understanding of the risks involved.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea...-fulltext.html

But more important, if it does fly, it won't do anything those old throw-away rockets couldn't do. You've probably heard, for instance, that the space shuttle will retrieve damaged satellites and return them to earth for repair. Not so. It can't. Simply and flatly, can't. And, according to The Washington Monthly's sources, flying the shuttle will cost more, not less, than flying those old disposable rockets.

Scott (or anyone), did the part I bolded end up being true?

[Scott R Nelson]

Scott (or anyone), did the part I bolded end up being true?

It looks like it, but it depends on who you ask.

For example, I'm not sure they could have done the Hubble repair missions without the shuttle. They would have had to invent something bigger than an Apollo capsule to take more people up into the high orbit, and bring along a bunch of stuff for the repairs.

I've read a lot about the space program and quite a few biographies of astronauts, especially the early ones. It's probably time to read more about space shuttles, space stations, and more recent space flights.

[Green Monstah]

Can't believe it has been that long.

My dad blamed terrorists. When I protested he said, "So it's just coincidence that the plane blew up over Palestine, Texas?"

Oh, daddy.....

[Realtall]

the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up as it was re-entering. Another tragic moment.

Apparently, mission control knew it was going to happen, but decided not to tell the shuttle crew. The reasoning was that it was better that they die unexpectedly.

What a horrible piece of information to have to sit on.

I'm not sure I agree with the reasoning that they 'would rather not know,' though. He's assuming a lot there. I think some, if not all, of the crew would like to have at least had the opportunity to say goodbye to their families.

The whole situation just sucks, though.

[mtnbiker]

What a horrible piece of information to have to sit on.

I'm not sure I agree with the reasoning that they 'would rather not know,' though. He's assuming a lot there. I think some, if not all, of the crew would like to have at least had the opportunity to say goodbye to their families.

The whole situation just sucks, though.

My impression from the press conference at the time was that they had a good idea there was a problem, but that there was absolutely nothing they could do about it to save the crew (given the remaining oxygen & supplies on the shuttle). So they elected not to say anything. That's a really tough situation to be in. Some people say one of the other orbiters could be hurriedly prepared, but could they really do it in time before the crew ran out of O2? And might the lifeboat shuttle suffer the same damage at launch? I understand that later shuttle flights took repair kits to get out and patch any gaping holes from launch, but the Columbia didn't have anything like that on board.

[il Padrino Ute]

What a horrible piece of information to have to sit on.

I'm not sure I agree with the reasoning that they 'would rather not know,' though. He's assuming a lot there. I think some, if not all, of the crew would like to have at least had the opportunity to say goodbye to their families.

The whole situation just sucks, though.

It was a tough dilemma, no doubt about it. You may be right that they would like to have been able to say goodbye to their families. If I think about it, I would most likely rather have the chance to say goodbye, but I would also know that I was going to die and that makes me be honest enough to say that I would prefer not to know.

[Eddie]

It was a tough dilemma, no doubt about it. You may be right that they would like to have been able to say goodbye to their families. If I think about it, I would most likely rather have the chance to say goodbye, but I would also know that I was going to die and that makes me be honest enough to say that I would prefer not to know.

I imagine that they know there are some significant risks involved in these flights - to the degree that I would be surprised if everyone involved hadn't written some short of "goodbye" letter to be given to family in the event of an accident.

Heck - my wife writes one of those for our kids every time we're gone overnight from them.

[il Padrino Ute]

I imagine that they know there are some significant risks involved in these flights - to the degree that I would be surprised if everyone involved hadn't written some short of "goodbye" letter to be given to family in the event of an accident.

Heck - my wife writes one of those for our kids every time we're gone overnight from them.

That's a good point and I would guess that you're correct that they did something like that.

[LeedsCougar]

I was awarded my D.Phil. on this date.

[SoCalCoug]

10 years ago today, I did not have sex with my ex-wife.

[Realtall]

10 years ago today, I did not have sex with my ex-wife.

LOL.