Last Known Photo of Left Wing of Columbia

NASA ^ | 02/02/03 | Self/NASA

[P-Marlowe]

Oops, on second look, that is the wing. Sorry.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

The reason for the change in the type of foam is due to the desire of NASA to use "environmentally friendly" materials in the space program.

Just what I thought... The Sierra Club and Greenpeace killed the shuttle. Bastards!

[the_doc]

I don't work for NASA, but I don't think you have the story straight yet.

[CCWoody]

Here is another monkey in the barrel: Supposing that the engineers could have determined that some kind of damage had actually been done to the underside of the left wing, there was still nothing that could have been done to fix this problem.

[MJM59]

I don't know... Matbe Major Nelson could have had Jeannie blink her eyes and fix it.

Would all of the wannabe rocket scientists please check their conspiracy theories at the door and let the guys at NASA do their jobs.

[TLBSHOW]

Major Nelson warned of this tragedy and that warning was ignored.

[CCWoody]

Would all of the wannabe rocket scientists.... ~ MJM59

Some of us here actually are experts in engineering. Or did I misunderstand your comment and my post was nothing more than a convenient place for you to vent at the tinfoil hat people here on FR?

Woody.

[MJM59]

I was venting for the most part. Did not mean to offend.

Space travel will never be safe, no matter how many safeguards we put in place. And men will dies in space as long as we continue to explore it. These are the facts plain and simple.

It has only been 3 days, few facts are in and yet the wild speculation here just blows my mind.

[CCWoody]

Space travel will never be safe, no matter how many safeguards we put in place. And men will dies in space as long as we continue to explore it. These are the facts plain and simple. ~ MJM59

Let's place a little perspective on this: I have read that the shuttles have had more than 100 missions. Now, of those, I don't know how many are actual space missions. But of the 100 + missions, we have had 2 fatal systems failures, giving us better than 98% mission success. And, knowing a little about the physics of what is required to get men safetly in and out of the atmosphere, that is a marvelous achievment. Truly, the shuttle is a marvel of engineering.

Let's just hope that we haven't turned this wonder into some kind of vain idol. Though, I do find it heartening that the pilot, who is from my home town, and the commander who is a fellow engineering grad from my university, were both seeming committed to the Lord.

Woody.

[the_doc]

It has only been 3 days, few facts are in and yet the wild speculation here just blows my mind.

I know how you feel. I was a Professional Engineer in a former life, and I am appalled at the folks who have a too-simplistic view of the technological world.

The real-world problems of engineering mechanics, for example, often prove to be immeasurably more difficult than high-school physics problems (or even college physics problems). This was the reason for my post #18.

I do strongly suspect that some of the NASA engineers were worried when they saw the launch videos (viewing it only after the craft was already in space). But I just don't think that the launch videos proved that the tiles were damaged. And like CCWoody, I don't know what could have been done about the problem anyway.

In other words, I am enough of an expert to realize that I have to do defer to other experts. I think we should wait for more information.

In the meantime, God is in complete control. Even our blunders are somehow in His plan. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

[CCWoody]

And like CCWoody, I don't know what could have been done about the problem anyway. ~ the_doc

As far as my knowledge goes, I'm not aware that any cameras on the shuttle have a view of the bottom of the wing, where the critical damage would have been done (given the assumption that the insulation actually did cause damage). I'm also not aware that a space walk was done to survey the bottom of the wing or that such a survey or pictures from a camera could have accomplished any more than what most people accomplish when they look under the hood of their car when it won't start in the morning. It tends to make you feel better, but doesn't serve any useful purpose.

Furthermore, the shuttle has none of the equipment or parts necessary to make repairs in space.

The key seems to be in hearing the shuttle engineers say that they want to look at the tiles from that portion of the spacecraft. At least they can, under careful lab analysis, make educated "guesses" with the sensor data about what kind of stresses they were under around the time of the breakup of the shuttle.

Woody.

[MattGarrett]

Robe, don't be so sensationalist without all the facts. NASA consulted engineers, astronauts, experts and all determined that the risk was minimal. Now, absent of evidence - we can only conjecture whether the impact caused the failure. If it did, it was not due to "gross negligence" on the part of NASA. There would be nothing NASA could do but bring the Columbia down and hope for the best even if they did know the damage was a major issue.

So to accuse NASA of negligence only shows your ignorance of the situation and the space program in general.

Wait for the facts and get educated.

[MattGarrett]

Actually, Rainmaker, NASA couldn't have sent another shuttle to rescue Columbia. Prep time to launch is at least 6 weeks. In an emergency, they could perhaps cut that in half, but still well short of any envelope needed to rescue the crew.

[RnMomof7]

In the meantime, God is in complete control. Even our blunders are somehow in His plan. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

Amen brother..and we know that there were saints on that flight and we can hope that there was time for others to repent and believe..