Hmmmmm...NASA, Dittemore, stated that they knew about the external tank insulation falling off and hitting the shuttle on launch, they investigated it, and decided it presented no safety risk, based on the limited data they had. Fine.
However, at the same press conference, when asked why no one looked at the tiles when the shuttle was in orbit, Dittemore shrugged off the question by saying it wouldn't matter if there was damage to the tiles as there was nothing they could do about it. One wonders how much this played into the decision that the launch anomaly presented no safety risk.
Just a little common sense would make one not launch a shuttle if there was no way to save the crew in case of tile damage. There are options to save the crew in this scenario, but apparently NASA decided not to provide for them.
If NASA made some mistakes in judgement in this area, they must take responsibility for the results. Not to do so would cripple the organization by inhibiting critical feedback that would improve the organization.
... as one poster is like to put it - "NASA has a beter safety recored than NASCAR - and that ain't bad" or some such ...
Again, NASA has performed the risk/bene analysis - and, according to the brief numbers I looked at, we're still above the break even point.
That, son, is cold, hard reality talking - and even at that rate we've got hundreds of people lining up to go into space. Wish I were able to sell tickets into a gig like that ...
Simply driving down the street is a HIGHLY calculated risk - any activity a thinking, breathing individual undertakes, even sitting slumped in an easy chair, is a 'calculated risk'.
These 'risks' that Dittermore and his crew decided were acceptable were based, now, on twenty or so chronological years, but, collectively, with all the members of the staff he's got working with him probably amounts to more like one thousand years accumulated experience ... backed by the 'numbers' to justify it.
Quite frankly - I am deeply impresed with the horsepower they are able to harness on take-offs - my hat is off to the rocket-motor designers!