Re: Jerry Pournelle on Columbia tragedy

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Date: Wed Feb 05 2003 - 16:50:15 MST

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    One would have thought that checking the extent of damage should happen on
    every occasion of tile damage, even if it is frequent. Someone got
    complacent. I can't believe they can't have a decent camera remote on jets.
    It reminds me of planes not having video of passengers in the cockpit before
    September eleven -when every gas station and bar has them for nearly 20
    years.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Damien Broderick" <thespike@earthlink.net>
    To: <extropians@extropy.org>
    Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 8:17 AM
    Subject: Jerry Pournelle on Columbia tragedy

    > http://www.locusmag.com/2003/Features/Letters02.html
    >
    > [...] If we had built - they didn't need developing because NASA Ames had
    > already developed them, although NASA Houston killed the program - real
    > space suits, we would also have provided means for using them, including
    > some shuttle tile material and some super glue, tether lines, and
    > instructions in repair procedures; but because we have never had decent
    > suits, NASA preferred not to know about damage on takeoff. Me, I'd like to
    > know: at least there's a chance to say goodbye. And there's always a
    chance
    > that human ingenuity will come up with a miracle, as was done with Apollo
    > 13. Not a high chance, but some of us would prefer to go out trying. Given
    > the size of the chunk that hit Columbia on takeoff there's a high
    > probability that inspection would have shown there was no chance of
    > surviving re-entry. That would leave rescue by Atlantis, a race against
    > time. Or a decision to go in, knowing there wasn't much chance. Or a
    search
    > for something else. But at least they'd know. [etc]
    >
    >



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