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Columbia disaster
- Thread starter Bill Martino
- Start date
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- Feb 19, 2002
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My family and I were outside in our backyard this morning at 8:00 AM in Plano, TX looking towards the Western sky for a glimpse of the shuttle. A few minutes later we heard what sounded like a couple of sonic booms. Little did we know at the time...
God bless the crew, may light perpetual shine upon them.
God bless the crew, may light perpetual shine upon them.
:grumpy: 
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Well said, and the same goes for me
In years to come when the grief has eased up a little those families can be fiercely proud to have had a loved one who was a US astrnaut--an incredible accomplishment and honor, but for now I'm sure they just wish they had them back...
very sad news indeed.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2001
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- 2,170
My heart goes out to the families of those lost. They died heros whether they knew it or not.
My hope is that the space program doesn't suffer too long, but word is they won't be building any more of the current space shuttles. There is a new design... however it might be awhile before it is built an we get back into space... they should have done this back in 1986 (build the new designed shuttle)
Yes, there are people still on the space station, but they can come home anytime on the Russian capsule docked there.
Alan
My hope is that the space program doesn't suffer too long, but word is they won't be building any more of the current space shuttles. There is a new design... however it might be awhile before it is built an we get back into space... they should have done this back in 1986 (build the new designed shuttle)
Yes, there are people still on the space station, but they can come home anytime on the Russian capsule docked there.
Alan
Ankerson
Knife and Computer Geek
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Originally posted by ACStudios
My hope is that the space program doesn't suffer too long, but word is they won't be building any more of the current space shuttles. There is a new design... however it might be awhile before it is built an we get back into space... they should have done this back in 1986 (build the new designed shuttle)
Alan
If they would spend the money on NASA instead for all those wonderful social programs we would have had new shuttles by now...
not2sharp
Platinum Member
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- Jun 29, 1999
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- 20,448
....But, as long as we are on the subject...
What NASA needs is a grandiose plan and a budget to match. Authorizing a couple of shuttle launches a year is not going to cut it. The infrastructure is getting old and the industry is rotting with it. When was the last time anyone used the words "rocket scientist" other than in a joke?
The program needs a mass infusion of fresh talent, and in order to do that, we will need to encourage tens of thousands of talented young people to dedicate themselves to the challanges of a new and exiting career. It needs to become a booming business again as it was in the 1960s and early 70s. A focal point for our most creative to work and develop new and previously untested technologies.
If the shuttle program has taught us anything, it is that the conquest of space can never be done on the cheap. But, with new momentum, we can also expect tremendous rewards. Once again we may be able to put our people and our industries on a firm technological footing. Thus, we may provide the competitive advantage so needed by our own industrial base.
Frankly, I am amazed by the call for privatization. NASA has always been a program built upon private enterprise. It is a purchasing agent, and a coordinating body for the government, which relies on the talents and creativity of private enterprise for its implementation. What more privatization could we possibly want? Care must also be taken less our tax dollars be used to fund another nation's competitive advantage. Sometimes it is worthwhile to have the ability to classify and regulate the dissemination of technology. At least to hold on to the technology long for long enough to allow our companies enough time to commercialize it. Perhaps by privatization we mean that the outside of our next spaceship should be smeared with a plenora of advertisements to look like an overgrown race car?
Then there is the very real issue of national security. Our private high-tech industries have been hard hit by the recession, and we have precious few US manufactured technologies on the store shelves. We have to wonder where the next generation of smart weapons is going to come from. It is certainly not going to come from our youth if they are limited to working at fast food joints, retail stores, and daytrading.
The original space program was our largest recruiting poster for an entire generation of engineers, operations managers, and other creative people. What we have today is just a vestigal remnant of that program. We can choose to put the excitement and energy back into the program , or we can choose to teach our kids Chinese. But, it is time to decide what our national space program was, is, and should be.
n2s
What NASA needs is a grandiose plan and a budget to match. Authorizing a couple of shuttle launches a year is not going to cut it. The infrastructure is getting old and the industry is rotting with it. When was the last time anyone used the words "rocket scientist" other than in a joke?
The program needs a mass infusion of fresh talent, and in order to do that, we will need to encourage tens of thousands of talented young people to dedicate themselves to the challanges of a new and exiting career. It needs to become a booming business again as it was in the 1960s and early 70s. A focal point for our most creative to work and develop new and previously untested technologies.
If the shuttle program has taught us anything, it is that the conquest of space can never be done on the cheap. But, with new momentum, we can also expect tremendous rewards. Once again we may be able to put our people and our industries on a firm technological footing. Thus, we may provide the competitive advantage so needed by our own industrial base.
Frankly, I am amazed by the call for privatization. NASA has always been a program built upon private enterprise. It is a purchasing agent, and a coordinating body for the government, which relies on the talents and creativity of private enterprise for its implementation. What more privatization could we possibly want? Care must also be taken less our tax dollars be used to fund another nation's competitive advantage. Sometimes it is worthwhile to have the ability to classify and regulate the dissemination of technology. At least to hold on to the technology long for long enough to allow our companies enough time to commercialize it. Perhaps by privatization we mean that the outside of our next spaceship should be smeared with a plenora of advertisements to look like an overgrown race car?
Then there is the very real issue of national security. Our private high-tech industries have been hard hit by the recession, and we have precious few US manufactured technologies on the store shelves. We have to wonder where the next generation of smart weapons is going to come from. It is certainly not going to come from our youth if they are limited to working at fast food joints, retail stores, and daytrading.
The original space program was our largest recruiting poster for an entire generation of engineers, operations managers, and other creative people. What we have today is just a vestigal remnant of that program. We can choose to put the excitement and energy back into the program , or we can choose to teach our kids Chinese. But, it is time to decide what our national space program was, is, and should be.
n2s
not2sharp
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
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- 20,448
If there is zero growth there is little opportunity, and if there is little oppotunity then whom are you left with? Probably the kind of goons who's laziness, spinelessness, and incompetence created an environment ripe for disaster.
n2s
We have to allow Nasa more money each year or our astronauts are unsafe? Ridiculous. They might was well blackmail us.
Has Nasa always spent its money well? Doubt it. At any rate, human safety is number one. They've failed twice now. It is one thing to fail at Mars with short sidedness and bad math, quite another with human lives. We had Hubbel, and two Mars probes less than satisfactory and Hubbel was expensive to fix. More money would have resulted in better math? They couldn't even get the damn mirror right!!!! And the last Mars probe crashed becuase they couldn't get the height of landing right for the rocket to kick in- metric vs english measurements, wasn't it?
The first shuttle disaster was their fault- human error, and a program pushed to launch regardless of concerns. More money stops that? Hogwash.
Don't misunderstand, i would like to see Nasa get more money. But I don't kid myself lives will not be lost with or without it. YOu think more money would have stopped the last Blackhawk helicopter from crashing?
munk
Has Nasa always spent its money well? Doubt it. At any rate, human safety is number one. They've failed twice now. It is one thing to fail at Mars with short sidedness and bad math, quite another with human lives. We had Hubbel, and two Mars probes less than satisfactory and Hubbel was expensive to fix. More money would have resulted in better math? They couldn't even get the damn mirror right!!!! And the last Mars probe crashed becuase they couldn't get the height of landing right for the rocket to kick in- metric vs english measurements, wasn't it?
The first shuttle disaster was their fault- human error, and a program pushed to launch regardless of concerns. More money stops that? Hogwash.
Don't misunderstand, i would like to see Nasa get more money. But I don't kid myself lives will not be lost with or without it. YOu think more money would have stopped the last Blackhawk helicopter from crashing?
munk
not2sharp
Platinum Member
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- Jun 29, 1999
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- 20,448
NASA needs more then money. It needs to be revitalized. It is not just about giving them money, it is about giving them a challenge. You want to be able to increase the pressure to a level where the dead wood goes and the performers show. Putting a new coat of paint on a 30 year old shuttle isn't going to do it. So yes it will require some more money.
n2s
n2s
Ankerson
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- 21,094
munk,
If it flies sooner or later it will crash due to all the different variables involved in flight. Throw in human error and there is even more of a chance something will happen.
Nothing is perfect, and nobody is perfect, things will happen and all we can do is try our best to prevent them and learn from our mistakes and press on.
2 shuttles lost in 20 years isn't that bad of a track record although none would be alot better. Space flight is extremely dangerous and there are risks. Unfortuntly if something do go wrong then it is very bad, but that is the risk they take and they all know that going in.
If it flies sooner or later it will crash due to all the different variables involved in flight. Throw in human error and there is even more of a chance something will happen.
Nothing is perfect, and nobody is perfect, things will happen and all we can do is try our best to prevent them and learn from our mistakes and press on.
2 shuttles lost in 20 years isn't that bad of a track record although none would be alot better. Space flight is extremely dangerous and there are risks. Unfortuntly if something do go wrong then it is very bad, but that is the risk they take and they all know that going in.
No, 2 shuttles in 20 aint bad, though the first still rankles because of that friggin O ring and the higher ups didn't want to hear about it.
<NASA needs more then money. It needs to be revitalized. It is not just about giving them money, it is about giving them a challenge. You want to be able to increase the pressure to a level where the dead wood goes and the performers show. Putting a new coat of paint on a 30 year old shuttle isn't going to do it. So yes it will require some more money.>>
Now this, I completely understand. They are very excited about sending someone to Mars.
munk
<NASA needs more then money. It needs to be revitalized. It is not just about giving them money, it is about giving them a challenge. You want to be able to increase the pressure to a level where the dead wood goes and the performers show. Putting a new coat of paint on a 30 year old shuttle isn't going to do it. So yes it will require some more money.>>
Now this, I completely understand. They are very excited about sending someone to Mars.
munk
Ankerson
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I don't think there is one answer to the question really and none of us here are in the place to judge what happened or what will happen next.
We are not in NASA so we don't really know what is going on and we never will, we only know what they want us to know. So without all the information that we will never have we can't really make a sound opinion on the subject.
It's like the arm chair whatevers out there, it's easy to talk about and judge others, but without having been there they shouldn't be judging anything.
Thats why I only have strong opinions on things I have really done and experienced and just take in the true facts whatever they may be on everything else.
We are not in NASA so we don't really know what is going on and we never will, we only know what they want us to know. So without all the information that we will never have we can't really make a sound opinion on the subject.
It's like the arm chair whatevers out there, it's easy to talk about and judge others, but without having been there they shouldn't be judging anything.
Thats why I only have strong opinions on things I have really done and experienced and just take in the true facts whatever they may be on everything else.
We are not in NASA so we don't really know what is going on and we never will, we only know what they want us to know. So without all the information that we will never have we can't really make a sound opinion on the subject. >>
If I felt this way I'd just throw in the towel. 'Need more money? Sure- since I'm not in a position to know what you do with it- have some more.'
I like what n2sharp said; they need a challenge to be at their best. But that doesn't mean when they mismeasure a huge mirror for the Hubble telescope I shouldn't notice.
This isn't the time to criticise, and I'm going to shut up. I'm actually a guy who for all of his life has felt we don't spend enough on space.
Bush's speech to the Nation meant a lot. I can't watch the coverage without tearing up. Today in Church was the same.
munk
If I felt this way I'd just throw in the towel. 'Need more money? Sure- since I'm not in a position to know what you do with it- have some more.'
I like what n2sharp said; they need a challenge to be at their best. But that doesn't mean when they mismeasure a huge mirror for the Hubble telescope I shouldn't notice.
This isn't the time to criticise, and I'm going to shut up. I'm actually a guy who for all of his life has felt we don't spend enough on space.
Bush's speech to the Nation meant a lot. I can't watch the coverage without tearing up. Today in Church was the same.
munk
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2002
- Messages
- 2,634
Most things in life entail risk. Riding a motorcycle, driving a car, walking across a street, flying in to space, swinging a K.
The risks were known and the die was cast. Let's remember these people for the brave souls they were. They paid the ultimate price to further the knowledge of all men. Pray for them and their families.
Semp --
The risks were known and the die was cast. Let's remember these people for the brave souls they were. They paid the ultimate price to further the knowledge of all men. Pray for them and their families.
Semp --