[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Bullshit. They know the risks of their profession just as the military.

Get real, lots of jobs are dangerous, but nobody sent those people up knowing they were going to die. When was the last time you heard of someone shooting at a space craft?

[Conservababe]

You must be young or very foolish to think that the space frontier is a safe job. LOL

[George W. Bush]

Original estimates were that we'd lose a shuttle and crew every 75 flights. It turns out that the loss rate is curretnly more like one shuttle lost in every 53 flights. So what? People die every die for far less worthwhile causes.

Ask for volunteers (we'll get them) and continue shuttle launches on schedule. The astronauts have always know the risk and accepted it. Continue with the shuttle for now but start building a new fleet of diverse heavy boosters and manned craft that are more useful and economical than the shuttle.

Conservababe took a lot of heat yesterday for being a little cold. But she has the right attitude. Bury our dead with honors and continue their dream. Even if some crews do die. It's part of the business. Explorer just isn't a safe career and that's not why anyone chooses it.