Shuttle Tragedy [Archive]

neubjr

February 1st, 2003, 06:24 PM

So Everyone should by now know about the tragedy with Columbia. I wanted to start a little discussion about that just to see how people think it will affect NASA and the future of space exploration.

Also, this might be a little out of our reach, but maybe somehow SEDS internationally could work on fundraising for some type of SEDS memorial to the shuttle crew.

Joshua.

K6-III

February 1st, 2003, 11:12 PM

There are some very interesting reactions about how NASA should react to the accident at the following link: http://www.ad-astra.net/BBS/SpacePolicy/

Kirsten

February 2nd, 2003, 08:52 AM

So Everyone should by now know about the tragedy with Columbia. I wanted to start a little discussion about that just to see how people think it will affect NASA and the future of space exploration.

I believe that this will hit private space exploration much harder than it will hit public exploration. I'm putting together some comments on this and will post it here when I get it done.

Also, this might be a little out of our reach, but maybe somehow SEDS internationally could work on fundraising for some type of SEDS memorial to the shuttle crew.

One relatively inexpensive (at least I think it would be) and accessible idea for a memorial comes to mind. Perhaps SEDS could set up an electronic memorial similar to this one developed for Peter McWilliams:

http://www.forahero.com

This site is not only a memorial to Peter, but it was a great comfort to me and many others as we grieved for him.

K6-III

February 2nd, 2003, 11:22 AM

I'll have to agree with Kirsten in that regard.

The business plan for Gene Myers' Space Island Group is effectively dead...

K6-III

February 6th, 2003, 11:04 AM

On the other hand, I may be wrong. Here is a good writup that was posted today by Forbes on the Space Island Group: http://www.forbes.com/2003/02/06/cx_ah_0206space.html?partner=yahoo&referrer=

neubjr

February 6th, 2003, 03:29 PM

I was very worried when the tragedy first occurred that the public would take this as an opportunity to slam the space community as a waste of or mismanagement of funds. However so far it seems that this has not happened. The space community and NASA have been very good at being sensitive to the tragedy yet at the same time putting forth the first statement that they are still very committed to space exploration and that now even more dedication and investment is needed. I think that things are being handled excellently so far.

Now the big test will be to see how far we can go when congress comes around to putting through a budget. The Columbia tragedy could turn out to be a crucial turning point for the American space agency. It can either effectively end any momentum that was being built in the space program, or it can be used as a slingshot to propel us into a new era of space exploration. I am extremely sorry that the seven crew members of columbia had to become martyrs, but better martyrs with their dreams remembered than forgotten.

Joshua.

K6-III

February 6th, 2003, 08:35 PM

Now is the time for us to act.

We must now write to all politicians, speak at public places, etc, such as to get the construction of an expendable capsule built to be placed on Delta IV and Atlas V and to get work started on a new super-heavy lift booster ala Saturn V. This has the capability to get us beyond LEO almost from the getgo.

With a capsule like Soyuz, we can use a pair of AtlasV Heavy's to do a lunar mission...

Kirsten

February 7th, 2003, 06:36 AM

Originally posted by neubjr
I was very worried when the tragedy first occurred that the public would take this as an opportunity to slam the space community as a waste of or mismanagement of funds. However so far it seems that this has not happened. The space community and NASA have been very good at being sensitive to the tragedy yet at the same time putting forth the first statement that they are still very committed to space exploration and that now even more dedication and investment is needed. I think that things are being handled excellently so far.

Now the big test will be to see how far we can go when congress comes around to putting through a budget. The Columbia tragedy could turn out to be a crucial turning point for the American space agency. It can either effectively end any momentum that was being built in the space program, or it can be used as a slingshot to propel us into a new era of space exploration. I am extremely sorry that the seven crew members of columbia had to become martyrs, but better martyrs with their dreams remembered than forgotten.

I think the jury's still out on some of the things you mention here. For example, I don't think we really will know whether things have been and are being handled "excellently" until the whole thing wraps up.

And as to whether or not the crew "had to become martyrs", I think here the jury is out as well, wouldn't you say? Until we know what the root cause of the disaster was, we don't really know whether this was something that could have been prevented or something for which there was no reasonable hope of preventing. Which is really more likely at this point, particularly given that the last loss-of-life incident was due to something that could have been prevented?

And if it does, indeed, turn out to be that the disaster could have been averted, why on earth should NASA be rewarded further for another botched mission? Shouldn't we reserve judgement on whether or not NASA really should get more money until we can make a reasoned assessment rather than manipulating people's emotions to squeeze the taxpayer a little harder as you seem to be suggesting?

K6-III

February 7th, 2003, 07:02 AM

NASA doesn't need more money.

Capsules are MUCH cheaper than reusables. Compare the cost of Soyuz to the cost of each shuttle launch.

Hell, you could launch 15 Soyuz's for the price of one shuttle launch.

With that launch rate of appx a launch every 3 days, you would have what one could call regular access to space, and with it, rescue capability...

Kirsten

April 9th, 2003, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by neubjr
I was very worried when the tragedy first occurred that the public would take this as an opportunity to slam the space community as a waste of or mismanagement of funds. However so far it seems that this has not happened. The space community and NASA have been very good at being sensitive to the tragedy yet at the same time putting forth the first statement that they are still very committed to space exploration and that now even more dedication and investment is needed. I think that things are being handled excellently so far.

Now the big test will be to see how far we can go when congress comes around to putting through a budget. The Columbia tragedy could turn out to be a crucial turning point for the American space agency. It can either effectively end any momentum that was being built in the space program, or it can be used as a slingshot to propel us into a new era of space exploration. I am extremely sorry that the seven crew members of columbia had to become martyrs, but better martyrs with their dreams remembered than forgotten.

Joshua.

Hi, Joshua,

I was just wondering whether you still pretty much hold with what you wrote a couple of months ago, or if you have a somewhat different view today of how NASA has handled the Columbia tragedy.

For myself, I am much relieved to see that my worst fears for private space entrepreneurship do not seem to be coming to fruition. In fact, I am somewhat surprised to see that the anti-freedom environment in America seems to have had more consequences for space entrepreneurship than the Columbia incident.

Kirsten

Kirsten

May 7th, 2003, 10:45 AM

Explaining Thirty Years Of Fudge
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/shuttle-03p1.html

Apparently the shuttle program came about as a result of gross dishonesty (largely on NASA's part). It will be interesting to see what other interesting tidbits the investigation will bring to light.

K6-III

May 7th, 2003, 01:55 PM

Not the best peice of journalism and most of the information contained is pretty obvious to the pro-space community.

I'm more interested in what Space Island Group can do with the shuttle/buran design, assuming they can eventually raise sufficient capitol...

neubjr

May 7th, 2003, 02:21 PM

I have to admit that I actually have not followed the continued investigation into the shuttle tragedy.

One thing that I do see is that the public has largely forgotten there even was a shuttle tragedy. I don't know if I see this as a good thing or a bad thing. The situation with Iraq and other national policy concerns have quickly taken away attention from the shuttle.

I honestly have not bothered taking the time to closely follow the shuttle investigation. I suppose that just follows with the general public trend. Hopefully I'll get caught up on things shortly and be able to say something a little more intelligent on the whole matter.

Joshua.

Pekings Divine5

March 4th, 2004, 12:22 AM