Columbia news about to break?

NRO's The Corner ^ | 5/23/03 | Rod Dreher

[William McKinley]

"EXPLOSIVE" COLUMBIA NEWS COMING [Rod Dreher]

A good Washington source says that there will be "explosive" news on Friday about the space shuttle Columbia. NASA is said to be bracing.

[lonestar]

ok, have it your way. you live in texas and probably have some association or identification with nasa.

In the early years I lived near a lot of NASA engineers, astronaut's secretary, etc. I saw first hand the dedication, hard work, and looooong hours.

I think it's a miracle what they have accomplished.

It's human nature, I guess, we only remember the failures and unfortunatly, their failures are tragedies.

[William McKinley]

I think spacewalks are routine when they are planned in advance, and the craft they will be walking from had been planned for that in advance. Given that they did not have the shuttle prepared for spacewalks on that mission, it seems to me that it may have been more complicated than just flying up another vehicle with some suits.

[liberalnot]

it's time for a change in management.

[lonestar]

You won't get an argument from me!

[lonestar]

The reference to the "lowest bidder" is to an old astronaut joke.

[MississippiMan]

I understand that it's far more complex than, "Hey Billy Bob, throw me that there space suit!" I don't, however, understand how it would rise to the level of it taking a great leap of faith to believe it's even possible to pull off.

MM

[William McKinley]

Fair point.

[jeremiah]

How about, they knew nearly immediately upon launch, and dithered for days. It was too late to send a rescue, because they wasted days in debate and paperwork.

[LibKill]

'Explosive News'?

The loss of the Columbia has been beaten to near-death, in the news, on this forum, and elswhere.

That said, it is time to get a new space vehicle.

RELEASE THE ENGINEERS!

[GingisK]

Is it impossible to have another shuttle always ready for a rescue effort if trouble is expected?

Yes. Due to budget cuts there is not a set of main engines for each orbiter. The main engines must be moved from the bird that just landed to the one that is being prepared for flight.

[brityank]

Based on the info I've seen from Harwood and Oberg -- it's hype. Bones thread pulled all of these and more.

I stuck Bill Harwood's column in the Bones thread; check it out.

[brityank]

Due to budget cuts there is not a set of main engines for each orbiter. The main engines must be moved from the bird that just landed to the one that is being prepared for flight.

And this is documented where?

Ping for a chuckle.

[GingisK]

And this is documented where?

Thanks for the reality check. My brother works at the KSC, and told me this some years ago. I just now called him to ask about this; and, he says that it was true years ago when there were only two orbiters, but now there are plenty to go around including spares.

It takes six calendar years to build each engine. There are parts that are drawn from a crystal oven, and there are others that are vapor/vaccuum deposited. Some large parts are machined out of rather large igots. Each engine is very expensive.

[snopercod]

The main engines must be moved from the bird that just landed to the one that is being prepared for flight.

That's pure Barbra Streisand. They do remove the engines from each orbiter after several days of bearing drying with a heated nitrogen purge. The reason for the removal is straightforward.

It's relatively easy to remove the engines, and it's much easier to do all the required inspections in the engine shop with the engines up on a stand than doing the inspections in the aft compartment of the orbiter. Simple.

NASA, which prides its collective self on having plans for every contingency, still doesn't have a plan for an "emergency launch". It's very frustrating to see...

[GingisK]

That's pure Barbra Streisand...

True, so I've relearned. Do you mind if I use that wonderful "Barbra Streisand" moniker? ;-D

[cardinal4]

they've lost 2 shuttles!

How many planes has Boeing lost? Cars that Ford has lost? How about Blenders that Oysterizer has lost?

Attacking NASA becuase of two accidents (thats what they were no matter what the Art Bell Disciples say) is ridiculous.

[liberalnot]

what reasoning!

oh god, back with the lunnies.

does yo' mama dress yo' in the the mornin'?

i don't listen to art bell.

[aristeides]

Ping.

[ladyinred]

and had been lying to us all along when they claimed that they did not know the shuttle was going to break apart.

If that were true, do you think they would ever tell us ?

[cardinal4]

Judging your posts, it seems to me you are ready to abandon the space program because of the two accidents. What if Christopher Columbus had aborted after an accident? Jonas Salk? Pasteur? Just gave up because of failure? Maybe you should drop the "not" off of your FR moniker, because chastizing and politicizing NASA for an accident is like the Left demanding, "What did Bush know and when did he know it?" like they did after 9/11. Oh, and Im waiting for your solution and your rocket science expertise to explain what went wrong and how to fix it.