[john316]

Back in the days when DOD had some flights, there was a minimal setup called LON (Launch On Need) but having been out the shuttle areana for about 10 years I don't know if they still have that capability. Given that it would take a many hours to roll-out an orbiter, and even more time to get a crew prepared, and then time involved in fueling, then you gotta count hours to load and test gpc's, etc.

I just don't think that a "rescue" mission would have worked, and that is given that there was even a known problem. As I stated earlier I haven't been involved in shuttle software for some time, but I believe that my arguments have a good foundation.

[Man of the Right]

I'm only a layperson, but that's what I've read.

Risk is minimized in any dangerous undertaking through doctrine, thorough training and equipment, in that order.

When you try to do something that is extremely dangerous without any of the above, the odds are people will die. You might get lucky and summit K-2 and return safely on a whim, but the odds are against it.

I speculate that if NASA had learned Columbia re-entry was unsurvivable early, political pressure for an ad hoc rescue attempt would have been incredible. Bush has the character to resist it. But he would have been crucified for either a rescue fiasco, or for allowing the astronauts to succumb without one.