YOU ARE A REPORTER. What Question would you ask Sean O'Keefe about the shuttle tragedy?

[1Old Pro]

I thought the media did an awful job with the thousands of questions they have asked. Some questions have been asked multiple times.

If you were a reporter, what question would you ask - OR, what questions do you need answered.

I can think of many. One question I haven't heard asked yet is: When did the space station crew learn of the disaster and what have been the conversations with them and what were their comments and concerns?

[Prince Charles]

Was it possible to lower the orbit of the Space Station to a point where Columbia could have gotten near it, and presumably have given them a chance?

[dirtboy]

My question - when insulation previously fell off the central fuel tank, why wasn't it treated as a serious problem and rectified before the next shuttle flight?

[ContemptofCourt]

This question was not asked because they said that the shuttle could not dock with the ISS...

I think the most basic question is what the NASA statistic hounds had calculated for a failure rate for the shuttle on re-entry....the shuttle is a complex machine, it is old, and the tiles protecting the shuttle are very brittle...and it appears that they had tile problems on previous misisons.....I'd bet the number is around .5% or 1%

[PhiKapMom]

I thought the media did an awful job with the thousands of questions they have asked. Some questions have been asked multiple times.

That is the understatement of the year.

One question would be to ask why the head of the Accident Investigation is a Navy retired Admiral that led the investigation into the terrorism against the USS Cole.

My other question would be to ask why the remains of the shuttle and astronauts are being taken to Barksdale AFB, a very secure base, instead of to Ellington AFB the home of NASA which is pretty open.

Sidenote: The Air Force information officer from Barksdale AFB yesterday in a briefing went right to the point that press would not have access to Barksdale AFB because of other mission requirements unless they were escorted on or off Barksdale!

[dirtboy]

I think the most basic question is what the NASA statistic hounds had calculated for a failure rate for the shuttle on re-entry....

I heard that recently it had been put at one in five hundred, but in the past had been one in seventy-five.

[Keith in Iowa]

I thought the media did an awful job...

The stupidest thing I heard was an ABC Radio reporter-ette commenting that "the astronauts have parachutes, and would have to get out the escape hatch". Like that is humanly possible at Mach-18 at 200,000+ ft. Sheesh.

[csvset]

I wonder if some sort of disposable "shield" for the tiles could have been developed. Something to protect the tiles during lift off and jettisoned when no longer needed.

[smith288]

< begin stupid reporter mode >

"Why isnt there ejection seats for such a problem???"

< /end stupid reporter mode >

[PhiKapMom]

Have one more comment not a question! If Fox News Channel starts covering the War on Iraq like they have this Space Shuttle tragedy, I am going back to CNN -- spin and all.

Their coverage has been bad and worse. Fox and Friends this morning asked some of the dumbest questions I have heard yet. Including why did they have an escape pod? It is like these so-called "journalist" have been watching too many Star Wars movies. Or how about docking another shuttle alongside to evacuate? Enough of my rant!

[FreeTally]

Stu[id comments like those from the talking heads is why I have refused to watch anything on this since Saturday afternoon.

[PhiKapMom]

Yours takes the prize! That is the worst one to date that I have heard!

[Prince Charles]

Right, there was no docking ring on Columbia, BUT, the Space Station has suits for EVA, and therefore it might have been possible to transfer some of the crew over to the ISS via a series of spacewalks, thereby extending the oxygen supply in Columbia.

But this is all hypothetical, so who knows. But if Columbia couldn't get to the ISS, then could we have brought the ISS to Columbia?

I heard one of the talking heads quoted yesterday saying NASA had a 1 in 75 figure for a catastrophe like this. To be sure it was a dangerous game and the crew knew the risks.

[PhiKapMom]

Ejection seats?

Where do they find these people to ask these questions?

[alisasny]

I can't point you to the link but I read this morning that they were informed 24 hours after the tragedy.

[aardvark1]

Ejection seats? Where do they find these people to ask these questions?

In our illustrious colleges and universities.

[Alberta's Child]

Someone pointed out on Saturday that some of the Fox coverage bordered on idiotic. Like when it was first announced that the shuttle appeared to have been delayed in landing.

As if the freakin' thing were a 747 circling over the landing strip for another approach.

[PhiKapMom]

Scarey isn't it?

[alisasny]

I would like this one asked:

"Mr. O'Keefe, What do you make of all the Monday morning quarter-backing?"