Thursday, July 28, 2005
Aha
So some heat shield foam popped off during lift-off and now NASA has postponed all shuttle flights until "the problem" is fixed. But there's a minor huge problem: the shuttle that launched has to come home. They say they don't think the foam hit the shuttle but last time they said didn't think there was a problem and look what happened. Launches and space-side people are marvelous to watch - it was great to see them dock this morning - but astronauts shouldn't be treated like pawns in the game of space exploration. It's one thing if unexpected disaster strikes and entirely another if the problem is known at the outset. NASA seems like a taunting teenager who wants to see whether his allowance (a/k/a funding) will be taken away for ever and ever if he does what he shouldn't do, as long as he does it boldly. Won't that be the result if there's disaster on re-entry?
Labels: headlines, reflections
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