I CONTINUED: "They could have:
(1) NOT left the earth's atmosphere in the first place, scratched the mission and headed back for home"
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "Not left the earth's atmosphere? When? AT what point are you assuming that NASA understood there was some kind of an anomoly at lift off? In time to call them back from the rocket they were sitting on?"
MY ANSWER: From what I understand, the foam or ice was noticed BEFORE liftoff (I may not have heard correctly and I was out of town on business at liftoff so I did not see liftoff).
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: However, since NASA was ALREADY WELL AWARE of the EXTREME BRITTLE, FRAGILE nature of the black heat-shield coating from DAY ONE, and according to a previously posted, alleged Shuttle post-flight inspector's statements, they were also ALREADY WELL AWARE that an UNUSUALLY HIGH number of tiles had been missing or damaged since FREON-FREE adhesive have been used, the falling object's potential damage should have been examined.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: It is my further understanding that at T-3 (T minus three hours), they do do an inspection of some kind. I have no idea when the object fell. Since the tiles are ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to returning to earth's atmosphere, and since they ARE so BRITTLE and FRAGILE, ANYTHING falling on them should be suspect.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: If the Shuttle had already taken off and/or NASA engineers did not see it (negligence on their part), then they would obviously not be able to do anything about it until they were up. I am not aware of how long of a runway is needed for a Shuttle, but I suspect that it could have gotten up and emergency landed again at a large airport before leaving the atmosphere.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: One of the MOST IMPORTANT concepts taught to pilots is that if there is something you just really don't feel right about, SCRUB IT. That can apply to take-offs, landings, touch-and-go's or anything inbetween. You are to always err on the side of SAFETY.
I WROTE: (2) Gone on the mission, but NOT reentered the earth's atmosphere until (3) and (4) were done
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "I'll withhold comment until we've dealt with 3 and 4."
MY ANSWER: You really didn't address (2) so there is nothing to respond to.
I WROTE: "(3) Instead, gone to the Space Station and tethered Colombia until a space walk could be done---now or on another Shuttle Flight"
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "Columbia had NO CAPACITY to go to the space station. It had no docking capability even in the event it would have been able to get to the ISS."
MY ANSWER: For an operation which has backup after backup after backup, it is incredible that NASA has ZERO PROVISION for going to and tethering to the Space Station for emergencies, e.g. repairs (or whatever purpose).
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: Since they seem to be having an UNUSUAL number of tiles falling off, they NEED to come up with some way to do it. If nothing else, with the lack of wind resistance, they ought to be able to have some sort of emergency attachment hookup location on the Shuttles and ISS and carry enough cable to be able to do just that. Even Apollo 13 had enough "spare parts" to jerry-rig something together to get the emergency taken care of.
I WROTE: "(4) Do a space walk to VISUALLY EXAMINE the entire craft, particularly the left wing (and underneath it), and REPAIR the damage (now if posible or later if necessary)"
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "If you had been able to actually accumulate some knowledge, about which you write, (at the very least watch the press conference.....sorry that somebody was sick and you couldn't do it.) you would know that they did not have the capability to space walk to visually examine the the entire craft. As a matter of fact, even if they could, there is NO capability to fix what may have been found in that environment."
MY ANSWER: First off, your ridiculing tone is unnecessary. Second, astronauts have done space walks from the Shuttle before. They SHOULD be able to do them on EVERY flight in case of emergency. Adding more cable (or whatever they use) should not be an issue. If they want to not have to have as much cable, they could have hookup locations every ten feet (using a master cable to allow safe movement between hookups) so they COULD go completely around the Shuttle. Since they ARE having so much problem, a "walk around" might ought to be REAQUIRED before returning.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: Using the pilot example again, a pilot does not fly an airplane without following EVERY DETAIL of their check list. Private pilots must go around (with the check list) and make a VISUAL INSPECTION of the aircraft. I would think that although a commercial pilot still follows an internal check list, a "ground crew" probably checks the plane.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: Again, having all the backups, it is INCONCEIVABLE that they don't have some SPARE heat-treated styrofoam and FREON-FREE GLUE to repair their FREQUENT tile need.
I WROTE: "(5) Ride down on the Russian Soyeus (sp?) that was coming up to the Space Station on either Sunday, Monday or Tuesday to get back to earth and pick up needed parts for repairs"
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "Oy vey, this is getting really ridiculous. Sure, the Pony Express was scheduled on Feb 6."
MY ANSWER: When you have an EMERGENCY and you are STUCK IN SPACE with a sick Shuttle and NO SPARE PARTS, I would take the Russian "Pony Express" as you call it---ANY DAY! Looking back, knowing with 20/20 hindsight what happened, wouldn't you? I would think they carry enough backup food and water for a longer than expected stay.
MY ANSWER CONTINUED: Obviously, they didn't know it was going to break apart, but as I stated in my first "pilot" comment about a funny feeling of hesitation, it would have been better to be able to do a space walk to EXAMINE the condition. There is NO EXCUSE for not ALWAYS having such a backup procedure available.
I WROTE: "(6) Send another large crew back up in another Shuttle to do the repairs and fly both the new Shuttle and the Colombia home."
A CITIZEN REPORTER RESPONDED: "And where were they supposed to meet? At Happy hour on the moon?
MY ANSWER: "If they have made it to orbit, the ISS is the logical location, whether they can dock or just tether. I am not sure if a GPS could work properly in space, but if so, it would be an exact location.