Columbia Discussion thread

Feb 1, 2003

[Admin Moderator]

'

On behalf of posters on Free Republic, I post this with deepest sympathy for the crew and their families.

Mission - sts107

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This is a continuation of the original thread.

Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!

ANY DU LINKS OR POSTS WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. Keep them on the original thread.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"This is truly a sad day. But, America shall roll sleeves up, figure out what went wrong, and get on with it. I am hoping for a fast track program for the next generation of space travel...I expect that the folks on Columbia would want it that way."

Amen to this, friend.

May the crew RIP and prayers for their families.

[steveegg]

That would be my semi-educated guess. I would probably guess that it was when it recovered from the left bank.

[exhaustedmomma]

I heard that people were starting to leave tokens at various debris sites, like in Nachodoches, Texas. Do you or anybody have photos of that?

[ladysusan]

You are welcome

FReegards

[EternalVigilance]

You're welcome.

Taking the time to post their bios gave me some time to think about each one of them, and to pray for their families.

We all owe them much.

[McGruff]

MSNBC confirms the no surface to air missle could reach 200,000 feet.



Idiots.

[AshleyMontagu]

I never said that. And I admitted the mistake of calling her a bonehead. But if you are happy that NASA rewards expensive incompetence which puts others in danger, then we will have to agree to disagree. We don't need AA in everyday life, let alone rocket science.

[mlmr]

They said the female astronaut, the one who was born in India, made some mistakes on a previous shuttle mission that other astronauts had to correct via a space walk to retrieve a satellite

I keep wondering whether she was piloting. Also whether she was Islamic or Hindu or Christian. It also crossed my mind that few others would be given a second chance... why her? Twofer?

[Redleg Duke]

I don't think those braking maneuvers are supposed to happen until the shuttle has re-entered and slowed. If the computer initiated them too early, well, they're screwed...that isn't a dogfighter...it is a flying flatiron!

[Dog]

Not in the least bit funny...

[George W. Bush]

There is a Soyuz attached to ISS as a lifeboat. They will probably launch another for backup when they evacuate the crew. It could spell the end for ISS because the shuttle is used to boost the orbit of ISS periodically. It is in a low enough orbit that there is drag from molecular oxygen that exists at that altitude and the effects of gravity.

Any figures on how soon we must boost the orbit? Any of the Soyuz's capable of filling in for orbital correction?

[backhoe]

Do you have some links for us?

Darn it, that didn't even occur to me, other than bookmarking the first posting for my records- I'm kind of stunned, like when 9-11 happened.

[bootless]

I just heard Shep Smith apologize for something, but wasn't really paying attention... he said he had sounded inappropriate about something, but didn't intend that...?

[isthisnickcool]

Question? Does ground control send the data to the onboard computer to control the shuttle as it approaches the atmosphere?

I'm pretty sure that answer to that question would be no. For numerous reasons. Things like time latency between such a command and the on-board systems response, the possibility of another "signal" or "unauhorized command" being sent by another entity (maybe this is what you are thinking about), but mainly because there are points in time where no radio transmission could be sent/received anyway because the plasma blackout. No "remote control" that I know of.

The plasma blackout will also likely make it difficult or impossible to receive data that is usually downlinked that might point to the point of failure.

Seems to me that the chase plane video may be helpful if they have good images.

[snopercod]

I saw that on Fox, and noted the color-bands as in tempered steel. There is very little steel on the orbiter (main engines, landing gear is all I can think of offhand).

I believe that titanium displays those colored bands as well, but not sure what the lab was made of.

[DoctorMichael]

Some Looser Liberal caller on C-SPAN just commented..............

"We all need to come together right now in America and the world over this tragedy and try and stop Bush's World War III.................".........then went on reading her poetry for nearly 2 minutes, they finally cut her off.

[uncbuck]

"...each built by the lowest bidder", as the old joke goes.


I have been a covernment contractor, and the quality of the product ABSOLUTLY goes down with the bid price. When I had won bids, my old company was deffinately not the best/most qualified bidder. The way the gov't gets around this problem is by severe inspection of the work.

USUALLY BY ANOTHER OUTSIDE, LOWBID, CONTRACTOR.

[mombonn]

Shep just apologized for bringing up the mistake the Indian astronaut made.

[jmc813]

Why don't you go join the folks over at DU? I see no difference between you and them... You both lack a basic decency and humanity...

Took the words right out of my mouth.