Nasa’s decision regarding Endeavor

NASA announced that they will not be repairing the damaged tiles on the underbelly of the Shuttle Endeavor.

I am not sure what to think, however I think this is an accurate statement regarding the issue:

On one of the space walks THIS MISSION one of the astronauts got a cut in his glove. Cut through several layers but thankfully did not cause a decompression. They immediately cancelled that space walk. They do not know what caused the cut. They determined that the risks of doing the spacewalk to repair the damage were greater than the risks of re-entry with the damage. I also thought this would be an excellent opportunity to test their repair procedures - even if they decided that the shuttle was not in danger. Might have learned something from it. But the commander of the shuttle can override the decision, and he has not done so. I believe that if repairing the shuttle was the best course of action, then they would do it. But I also have my fingers crossed and will be saying prayers for a safe re-entry. Visions of Columbia still haunt me...

I think what we need to keep in mind is that before the Columbia disaster, nearly ever trip the shuttle would return with some form of damage.

Although I will add, if something does happen to the Endeavor, I think we can probably kiss the current orbiters goodbye forever, along with many NASA and Rockwell employees.

EDIT: I'm going to go ahead and expand this topic.  In my opinion, instead of using refurbishable (orbiter) and disposable (new spacecraft that will go to the moon and mars), it seems to me like a reusable spacecraft would be well worth the money.  Instead of going into space and spending the whole time there figuring out how to repair the damage from lift off so you can get home, spend the extra $$ on something that is just a fuel up and go type craft.  There is no doubt the technology exists.  We even spent tons of money in the 80s to research better heat shields, but we still use the old ones.  Kind of a waste of money. 

To sum up what I just said, stop spending a few million to go into low earth orbit for a week or two, instead stop that and go ahead and spend the billions of dollars it will take to make a reusable interplanetary craft.  Its a waste to have to plan for months just for a few days of flight, while not really doing anything productive.


Edited by WGP guy2 - 17 August 2007 at 11:45am

Let them re-enter.

Since the Columbia disaster every shuttle to leave has taken damage to those tiles, which means every one before it probably did as well, and they made it just fine.

It seems this happens every time we launch a shuttle lately.

Nuclear wrote: Benjichang wrote: It seems this happens every time we launch a shuttle lately. I think it has always happened, but we didn't have a problem with it until the Columbia disaster.

Exactly, which is why I think we should go ahead and spend the money to make something that this WONT happen to, rather then blow money on pointless missions in low earth orbit.

we need star wars tech developed. and we should make the moon the 52nd state after canada

bravecoward wrote: whats exploration without danger

Exploration without danger.

what exactly is the point of being in space besides for satellites? what was the point of going to the moon, it didn't help cure cancer for anything  so why did they do it?

Benefits of space exploration.

That took 5 seconds to find on google, and it is just a few of the medical advances.

BTW, the reason we developed the agency in the first place was to beat the commies in the space race that kicked off after sputnik scared the crap out of us. Back on topic though, if the rocket scientists say it is ok for re-entry, I can't really argue with them.

PAINTBALL1 wrote: I'm sure that a few billion dollars to build a space ship to venture to the unknown falls right under the war in Iraq on George Bushs list.

Wonder just how many centuries it will be until we are planets instead of nations...

It only took us a little over a decade to go from being earth bound to venturing to another celestial body, so if we really want to it can't take that long to find ways to travel out of our solar system and inhabit other worlds.

WGP guy2 wrote: PAINTBALL1 wrote: I'm sure that a few billion dollars to build a space ship to venture to the unknown falls right under the war in Iraq on George Bushs list. Wonder just how many centuries it will be until we are planets instead of nations... It only took us a little over a decade to go from being earth bound to venturing to another celestial body, so if we really want to it can't take that long to find ways to travel out of our solar system and inhabit other worlds.

Closest Galaxy: 2.2 million light years away.

Moving toward us at: 670,000 MPH

Collide with us in: Five Billion Years