[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."