Shuttle Program Grounded AGAIN!

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

SPACE CENTER, Houston — NASA said Wednesday it is grounding future shuttle flights because foam debris that brought down Columbia is still a risk — and might have doomed Discovery if the big chunk of broken insulation had come off just a bit earlier and slammed into the spacecraft.

A large chunk of foam flew off Shuttle Discovery's (search) external fuel tank just two minutes after liftoff Tuesday morning. Shuttle managers do not believe it hit the shuttle, posing a threat to the seven astronauts when they return to Earth. But they plan a closer inspection of the spacecraft to be sure.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163884,00.html

 

[Maidrite]

I doubt there will be any more flights away with us needing to rebuild Iraq.

Also Nasa cannot afford another Mishap ! Not with private partys doing it much cheaper !

 

[jennyema]

Imagine what those astronauts in space must be thinking of the grounding of the whole program while they're up there!

 

[The Z]

All indications are that the orbiter is in good shape. A hunk of foam came off of the solid rocket booster but did not hit Discovery. They have all kinds of cameras and sensors to check the ship (computers/visual inspections) and are saying it looks very good, so they should feel okay about their ride home.

 

[Barbara L]

The thing that bothered me is that a few days before they sent it up, they were naming various problems with it but saying that they weren't going to let those problems stop them from launching. What will they say to those people's families and to the world if something horrible goes wrong? Even if it is totally unrelated to the problems they mentioned, those things would be on everyones' minds. I just pray nothing does go wrong.

Barbara

 

[The Z]

...as do we all.

The thing is... all the families know that their loved one is in a very dangerous job (sometimes spectacularly dangerous). They've all seen what has happened in the past and, knowing what they know NOW, they would have probably still supported the decision to fly.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Hey! You guys wanna see danger??!!! Eat 5 cloves of roasted garlic, a half pound of GREAT sauerkraut and 12 beers the night before you stand up in a wedding!

 

[middie]

barbara those are my thoughts exactly too.
sush... ewwwwwwwwww lol

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

 

[DampCharcoal]

Danger to the extreme, eh Sush? I would expect nothing less, my brutha! As far as the Discovery goes and I really, really, really hate to say this but I think it's time to call it quits and say farewell to the Shuttle Program. NASA is saying that there shouldn't be any problems during re-entry but any sign of damage to the tiles, no matter how small isn't worth risking the lives of the crew but that's how I look at this, I'm certainly no expert. The current scenario goes something like this: If the Discovery is deemed unsafe for re-entry, the crew boards the ISS and then NASA will attempt to fly the Discovery back via remote control in a descent that would allow them to put the shuttle into the Pacific if something goes wrong. Then Atlantis would be launched with a crew of three to bring the Discovery crew back. I would rather see the Soyuz used because they've been pretty reliable so far and I don't think we need to risk another shuttle and ten lives. I'm a HUGE fan of NASA and the Shuttle Program but I think they should quit while they're ahead. I hope that I'm wrong!

 

[Barbara L]

I'm a HUGE fan of NASA and the Shuttle Program but I think they should quit while they're ahead. I hope that I'm wrong!

I agree, I think space exploration is great. But I think at this point maybe exploration money would be better spent on exploring the oceans or the tropical rainforests for something that might help mankind (and animals!).

Barbara

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Damp.... you said it FOR me. I agree 110%! Time to get rid of the shuttles. WAAAAAAAY to much money has been wasted on these things. They are just too dangerous. I feel that the government should not get involved as much as they are in space. I feel its best for corporations to pay for most of this stuff. I still say we should explore more of the ocean too. I want a mermaid!!!!

 

[DampCharcoal]

I agree, I think space exploration is great. But I think at this point maybe exploration money would be better spent on exploring the oceans or the tropical rainforests for something that might help mankind (and animals!).

Barbara

Barb makes a great point! Hey, Barb! We really do need to take a much closer look at our own planet but at the same time, still keep a close eye on the sky. It's important to note that we know more about the Solar System than we do our own oceans. Eh? Eh? C'mon, don't make me look stupid!

 

[Barbara L]

You are so right Damp. We have only seen a tiny part of the Earth's oceans. There is so much we could learn from them. As I said, I love space travel and have learned a lot, but in the overall scheme of things, I think the oceans could probably do us a lot more good right now. What can we learn from them? TONS!!! It is really just as challenging as space travel too, considering there are lots of places in the ocean that we cannot get to. But if you tell enough people they can't, someone is going to figure out a way to say "I can, and I did." I believe a "few" people in the past have been told "you can't," such as the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Leonardo di Vinci, Gallileo, and probably the first person to stick a wheel on a cart.

Barbara

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I say we dredge the oceans..... take everything and make a slury and then bottle it! Or is that a Simpsons episode? ........ yep..... its a Simpsons episode. Never mind.