:: Narrow-minded simpleton ::

:: Monday, July 03, 2006 ::

OK, here we go again (see my infrequent previous postings).

NASA is preparing to launch the Space Shuttle Discovery on July 4, 2006, after a couple of scrubs due to weather. I imagine the NASA family is pretty stressed due to all the attention over the Administrator (Mike Griffin) giving the "Go" for launch over the objections of the Chief Safety Officer and Chief Engineer, O'Connor and Scolese, resp.

What folks don't understand is that O'Connor and Scolese were saying "no-go" to the launch because of possible loss of the ORBITER, not loss of the CREW. What's the dang difference, you say? Well, if another Columbia-like foam strike happens to Discovery as she launches, Discovery can dock with the Space Station and then the crew can transfer to the station and await "rescue" (an option Columbia did not have, even if the full extent of damage was known, because they were not able to get to the Space Station). Thus, the orbiter Discovery would be "lost" and the crew would be safe, even if a foam strike like the one that hit Columbia happens. Yes, the loss of another orbiter probably be the death-knell to the Space Shuttle system as we know it, but the crew would be OK.

Godspeed, Discovery!

:: Julie 7/03/2006 09:21:00 AM [+] ::
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