Posted on 02/01/2003 10:18:41 AM PST by Timesink
It can be left unattended indefinitely as long as astronauts can at least get up there occasionally to perform maintenance. Without that minimal level of maintenance, though, the ISS runs a serious risk of becoming uninhabitable. And, of course, all the experiments and stuff currently on-board would be lost.
I sure hope so. BTW, it was replaced with the Endeavor. I hope the tooling was not destroyed after that shuttle was complete.
I have worked in the space program for the past 22 years and I have seen my share of mission failures. :-(
I thought we had three operational prior to todays tragedy. Does anyone know for sure?
It can be left unattended indefinitely as long as astronauts can at least get up there occasionally to perform maintenance. Without that minimal level of maintenance, though, the ISS runs a serious risk of becoming uninhabitable. And, of course, all the experiments and stuff currently on-board would be lost.
Remember, the Russians still can fly crews to the space station.
Everyone today's been saying four, and we're down to three now.
There was an accident, fueling related IIRC, in the 1970's that killed some people. The ship was on the launch pad at the time. This is the second Shuttle disaster.
"I have worked in the space program for the past 22 years and I have seen my share of mission failures. :-("
I have too worked in this business for a long time, and your comments do not take into account the many missions unborn because of failures on the ground (testing), failures of our politicians to fund good ideas, failures of the executive branch to recognise good ideas, failures due to incompetent program managers, etc etc.
It is a wonder that we have made the progress that we have. I grieve for the loss of human life today, and its effect on the friends and families of these brave sojourners, but we must also acknowledge the many more deaths that have occurred over the years right here on planet earth developing and testing the technology employed in our space program
I think this reply was for me, and yes, I completely agree.
Indeed. :-( Brings back the Challenger for me also. I was in a mission control room monitoring that launch at the time.
This time, I woke up to hear about the disaster.
True, but how long will ISS be viable without substantial US participation. If we have to pay Russians to do that which we intended to do then the program will crumble. There has been an incredible anount of friction between the USA and Russia during the execution of this project. I just can't see a way out of this box which would be palatable to NASA and Congress. Of course, I might be biased. I remember when the Space Exploration Program lost out to ISS by one vote, in 1992 I think. I was employed by the Space Exploration Office and decried the circular reasoning that allowed the justification of ISS and shuttle.
As I recall, the transcript had comments that the family wanted with held due to their content.
Also, don't you think it's unlikely any meaningful conversations took place giving the rapid break up?
Same here - I was sleeping late today. I rolled downstairs around 10 AM to find my wife already watching the news of it.
Funny that we just had those remembrance threads about Challenger just a few days ago...
Just heard the Mission Control replay:
CAPCOM "we read your tire pressure messages and copy your last"
CDR: "Uh, roger ..." [loss of comm occurs]
IMO, this wasn't an instantaneous event but rather happening over a short period of time. Seems to me that if it was a spacecraft attitude problem, the words would have been different. I'd say a tile problem jumps to the head of the speculation line. Occam's razor and all that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.