BREAKING: NBC News finds Jan 30 NASA Memo showing serious concern about tile damage!

NBC News | February 3, 2003 | Jay Barbree

[Timesink]

Developing. Watch MSNBC for latest. Internal memo shows some engineers believe there was up to a 7 1/2-inch gash from the foam breakoff at launch. Memo was serious enough to go out to all NASA centers two days before disaster.

[TLBSHOW]

Just getting up? Good afternoon or is it morning where you are? Yes the crew of this shuttle was doomed and it did not have to be.

[Howlin]

Oh geez......now we're going to see that letter again.

[Miss Marple]

If you do not stop with this mindless carping, I am going to report you for abuse. I am saying this publically and for all to see. You are doing a disservice to NASA and all of the people who work there, many of whom frequent these threads. I am asking you nicely; please give it a break.

[Poohbah]

I think TLBSHOW is, if we take his demonstrated expertise into consideration, most likely employed as a proctologist...

[deport]

When did the Columbia complete it's 18 month turn around/refurbushing? Any Idea? How many flights has it has since?

[Fred Mertz]

No, he's a bartender, he has to deal with more than one a-hole at a time.

[TLBSHOW]

Don't tell me what to say I didn't say he was just on TV and said whatever your spewing.

[Poohbah]

I was talking about his tendency to BE an a--hole...

[HairOfTheDog]

No one knew that then, or now. Except the folk willing to forego completely the investigation and just guess what went wrong!

It is really easy to not have to really know the answer isn't it? You are hot air, nothing more.

[Miss Marple]

I am not spewing. Anyone who saw Nelson on Fox knows what he said.

You keep using Nelson's memo as a club to attack NASA. It is disrespectful.

NASA may have problems, or the shuttle design may be flawed. Your posts are making it sound like people knowingly sent the astronauts to their deaths. It is disgusting, and furthermore you need to learn correct English. I am out of patience with you.

[Mo1]

However, I am waiting to see the evidence as well, since the insulation may not even have been the cause.

There was a former astronaut that was MSNBC that mentioned something could have hit the shuttle while in space

He went on to tell how when he was in space they woke up one morning and noticed that something had hit the front winshield and how there was no way they caught have fixed it

[You Dirty Rats]

"Fools rush in ... Where angels fear to tread ..."

[TLBSHOW]

I am talking about what he asked The President to do from the famous Don Nelson letter.

Subject: Executive Order for a Moratorium on Space Shuttle Flight

Mr. President,
I am a recently retired NASA aerospace engineer and it is my duty to inform you that our space shuttle astronauts are in eminent danger. Your intervention is required to prevent another catastrophic space shuttle accident. NASA management and the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel have failed to respond to the growing warning signs of another shuttle accident. Since 1999 the launch system has experienced the following potential disastrous occurrences:

snip

Mr. President, as you are painfully aware NASA management has been lacking for a number of years. Unfortunately, your new NASA Administrator has failed to recognize the eminent space shuttle danger and has accepted the consul of the pre-existing NASA shuttle management. These managers still pursue a management philosophy that has stagnated the safety upgrades efforts and perpetuates the staggering launch costs.

The space shuttle or any space transportation vehicle without crew escape modules will never be safe to transport humans. To incorporate crew escape modules in the space shuttle requires that the piloting function be removed from the vehicle. Unfortunately, the background of the shuttle management is that of former flight controllers and astronauts. They have been trained to never trust automated flight control systems. Therefore, they are adamantly opposed to automation of the space shuttle. Efforts by NASA engineers and contractors to automate the shuttles are met with stern rebukes and reprimands in some cases.
Mr. President, to prevent another shuttle disaster it is requested that an Executive Order be issued that places a moratorium on space shuttle operations. This moratorium must limit shuttle missions to flight crews that do not exceed four members. The moratorium must remain in effect until crew escape modules can be incorporated.
This moratorium will serve as a catalyst to kick-start the resisting NASA management into action. The lives of our astronauts and the future of our space program must not be ignored. The warning from the Thiokol engineer was ignored and the Challenger exploded. The terrorist training warning from FBI agents was ignored and we had the 9-11 disaster. When the next shuttle explodes...and Murphy’s Law says it will, we can exclaim with pride a loud "YES!" as the crew escape module carries our astronauts to safety...

or if this moratorium is ignored...we can watch in horror and shame as the astronauts face certain death.

Don A. Nelson
Retired NASA Aerospace Engineer

[myrabach]

I don't agree with you in the least... we are talking about the lives of people considered by many in the public and most of those in NASA, to be super heros... the cream of the crop... the best of the best. I hardly would categorize that as numbing tyranny of familiar procedure.

[Howlin]

I just *KNEW* we were going to see that damn letter again.

[TLBSHOW]

Good one Fred! Right out of the ballpark.......

[You Gotta Be Kidding Me]

These poor people were dead just seconds after liftoff.....

Not true. They could have waited for the next shuttle to get them (leaving the Columbia in orbit).

[Howlin]

To: Nephi

It is worth noting that none of the issues this man listed appear to have anything to do with what happened.

In any collection of 1,000 people, there is always going to be one who runs around telling anyone who will listen that the sky is falling. Some of these people are, quite frankly, royal pains in the butts. They become even bigger pains when -- as has happened here -- something does go wrong (even though it's not anything they warned us about) and they jump on the rooftop to say they told us so.

I have no patience with such weenies. This guy is playing a giant game of "neener neener" with a real tragedy. He's a despicable little glory-seeking creep.

10 posted on 02/02/2003 11:37 AM EST by Nick Danger (Heave la France)
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[Miss Marple]

You were right. I am now major PO'd.

[TLBSHOW]

damming letter you mean.