[Rain-maker]

This was at least the second launch with shedding foam, and IIRC, was about the ninth with shedding foam. All previous flights that experienced shedding foam at liftoff returned without burning up on re-entry, so perhaps the mission managers were into repeating the same thing, and getting the same result.

You could make the same assumption about russian roulette, but no one will say it is safe, even if you beat the odds for a consecutive period of time.

If your made aware of the possibility of disaster, you eliminate that risk or kapow you lose.

[Cboldt]

. . . You could make the same assumption about russian roulette

Sheesh. I drive my car daily. It hits bumps daily. The tires keep on rollin.

There is a difference between playing with a loaded gun, and an object that you believe you have familiarity with (e.g., tire in the above example), that based on your past experience, careful examination, etc. does not "go off and blow your brains out." You know as well as I do that NASA was not knowingly playing some version of Russian Roulette. Well, I take that back. I believe they weren't . . . you believe what you want to. Fair enough?