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.

[FITZ]

They haven't had time to look at the indications. They should just say they will thoroughly investigate.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: For wider coverage, just post to 'All', which should (in theory) get everyone on the thread

Thanks for the info.

[kirstie]

The Challenger predates me, but now I understand what it was like. :(

President Bush has had the worst luck in his first term...

[Howlin]

Good grief!

[Route66]

I'm heartsick about this news.
I do not see how we can take along hiatus from shuttle flights as we did after the challenger disaster. NASA will have to come to some conclusions fairly quickly and accept some level of risk before the investigation of this incident is completed because this time we have a funtioning international space station which requires the use of the shuttle for it's continuation.

Even if we wanted to suspend, we would still have to launch at least one more time just to pick those on the station up, and I think our level of committment to that program will drive us to continue on as quickly as possible. [Not to mention the military uses of the shuttle which are not spoken about much but are much greater than they were at the time of challenger.]

[Steel Wolf]

Quesiton from another thread: How much wind resistance or general atmospheric density is there at 200,000 feet? (Where we assume the shuttle began to break up).

Would it be enough to 'catch' on something, say an improperly sealed section in the landing gear system, and cause it to heat up or divert the path of the shuttle while it was turning?

[FReepaholic]

>>...You may want to check out Gus Grissom, most definitely a white male, who was given a second chance after his space capsule sunk...<<

That's because Gus didn't do anything wrong.

[Arkinsaw]

that will be about five minutes before the arrival of the fbi at their house.

Every speck of the debris is the property of US taxpayers. You don't attempt to sell that stuff unless you have a lot of free time and want to spend it as a guest of the government.

[Howlin]

Yes, they have!

[hole_n_one]

[dep]

not to put too fine a point on it, but the saturn V blows the whiskers off the shuttle in every respect. the selling point of the shuttle was the alleged cost savings -- which haven't panned out, either -- along with this nonsensical fixation on low earth orbit instead of something meatier. which, sadly, is due entirely to richard m. nixon's lack of interest in the space program, which he considered to be an artifact of kennedy.

dep

[Darlin']

Yes, she was eminently qualified. Moreover, she was an American citizen, not by birth but by choice.

[Howlin]

See post 736

[CalvaryJohn]

Here's my tribute. I've had this song going in my head for at least a month, now, I suspect, prophetically. It's the theme song from the new Enterprise, "Faith of the Heart".http://scifi.myrealm.co.uk/audio/enterprise2.mp3

[Lurking2Long]

Yeah, I know...explain it to "HighWheeler"...

[Mamzelle]

Was he giving a press conference?

[CyberAnt]

"NASA has the systems code locked down"

This seems to be true - according to people who have worked in NASA control room. They even practice this procedure - for emergencies.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: NASA will have to come to some conclusions fairly quickly and accept some level of risk before the investigation of this incident is completed because this time we have a funtioning international space station which requires the use of the shuttle for it's continuation.

I couldn't agree more. I'm an old man but I'd climb on board tomorrow morning if I could. Most people do not realize that Space Travel (not to mention crossing a street) is a risk.

My late Father always said, "No guts, no blue chips." I go with my Dad.

[general_re]

The Challenger predates me...

Come on, kid - you're making me feel old and I'm not old, dammit ;)

[Catspaw]

I remember the controversy surrounding the sinking of Grissom's capsule. "Did he make a mistake or did he not?" were the questions being asked. But he was cleared to fly again. Tragically, he died in the Apollo fire. He was my favorite of the original Mercury astronauts--I loved his sense of humor.