From: avatar (avatar@renegadeclothing.com.au)
Date: Wed Feb 05 2003 - 16:50:15 MST
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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