Space Shuttle Tragedy

[Epaminondas]

<< Calculated against the benefits of travel through the years, would anyone say nay? >

Time Magazine

I am actually suprised at Time's courage.

The space shuttle program is not about science.  

It is about money and politics.  

And politics.

And money.

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There were originally four space shuttles.  A fifth was cobbled together out spare parts and such following the Challenger disaster.  

Two down.

Three to go.

The program has now run around 20 years.  The current planned lifetime of the program is another twenty years.

Care to calculate the odds?

The odds are that we are going to see seven more  of the world's finest men and women blasted into kingdom come - all from the comfort of our living rooms - TWICE more over the next twenty years.

Considering that the shuttle fleet is aging - note that it is the two oldest shuttles that have already gone down - the odds are probably even greater.

Do you think we'll go three for three?

Fifteen minutes of fame is not worth another seven - or another fourteen - or another twenty one - fine men and women dying for.

I would like to see an end to this madness.

Glorifying these deaths as heroic only perpetuates the carnage.

I don't  want to ever see this happen again.

And if we keep flying the shuttles - it will happen again.

And again.

And again.

It is now time to put a stop to all of this.

Before the next crew dies.

Sadly,

Epaminondas

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              XL

Farewell to a name and a number
  Recalled again
To darkness and silence and slumber
  In blood and pain.

So ceases and turns to the thing
  He was born to be
A soldier cheap to the King
  And dear to me;

So smothers in blood the burning
  And flaming flight
Of valour and truth returning
  To dust and night.

                Houseman

[kelly]

Sorry to see this turn into a Shuttle "debate".  

I think if you asked the Astronauts themselves they'd rather it continued.

As far as I know it's still purely voluntary.

It would be best if they have adequate Funding to insure it's as safe as possible.

[Epaminondas]

<< Considering the number or miles traveled while orbiting, I would suspect that this approach would suugest that Shuttle travel is safer than driving to your corner store. >>

Two out of five automobiles made do not blow up over a period of one-half their intended operating lifetimes and kill all seven people on board.

Two out of five shuttles do.

I think that speaks pretty well for itself.

Regards,

Epaminondas

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A note on the accuracy and usefulness of statistics - from Mark Twain/SamuelClemens, American humourist.  Not intended harshly:

‘The remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”.’

[Thomas S. England]

I realize you couldn't see my tongue in my cheek, but actually I was trying to demonstrate that very point--that depending on the approach you take on numbers you can build a case for any number of conclusions.

[CyberPet]

As my psycology teacher said:

There's three types of lies: Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics.

Like Thomas says, you can get any result using statistics. But I think it's more safe to fly a Concorde than a Space shuttle if you compare number of starts and landings.

[Highmac]

I won't add to the debate. Just add my belated condolences to the families of the victims.

[Gary S]

It the take offs and re-entry that's tough......getting into Outer Space and coming back into our atmosphere isn't as easy as we have been led to believe. They were brave alright.

[Epaminondas]

<<  I realize you couldn't see my tongue in my cheek, but actually I was trying to demonstrate that very point--that depending on the approach you take on numbers you can build a case for any number of conclusions. >>

Yup.

It can be hard to know intent - without knowing intent.

Thank you for the clarification,

Epaminondas
 
 [ 02-02-2003, 06:30 PM: Message edited by: Epaminondas ]

[Francine Eisner]

I tend to be a cynical sort but space exploration is not about money. Oh, as far as the government is concerned, it's about money. And there has always been a group of people who say, "What are we doing in space, when the problems are down here?"

But for the astronauts, and people of a similar ilk, it's about the need to learn. The need to absorb new information, and to be the source of that new information about the world, and about the universe.

I understand it because in a small way, I have that kind of sensibility myself. I'll probably never get to go into space. I would like to. Maybe in the far future they will  want to see the effects of weightlessness on a nonogenarian. Then I could volunteer, and I hope they choose me, LOL. I would have liked to go West, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. I would have liked to be on the HMS Beagle.

 Exploring is a very exciting and fulfilling vocation. And some of them achieved their goal against great odds. They died too young, and their families mourn them. But let's celebrate them, and this aspect of the human spirit, which exists in many of us. They knew the risks inherent in space travel. I don't think they were afraid, and I don't think they suffered. Look at the banner, and see the faces of the astronauts. They were not tormented souls; they were happy people. Their loved ones, the people who watched the shuttle break up, mission control and the rest of us are the sad, sorry ones. For the people that have the drive to be astronauts, or explorers, or to do groundbreaking research, let nothing stop them. Nothing can, really..

Fran

[RobW]

A special thank you to those who are responsible for the TS banner paying tribute to the astronauts.

[JoeDu]

I wonder if anyone truly understands how much we learn from each space mission, how much technology is developed and advanced as a result of the space program. This last one in particular was one of the heaviest payloads ever to return, loaded with science tests, experiments and developments. On top of everything already mentioned, so much was lost in the advancement of technology and the betterment of human life - losses that might have had incalcuable benefits.

[Mrious_be]

The world mourns for the seven loss that again brought our kind one step closer to space(travel).
Even after 1969, i still believe that every single austronaut/cosmonaut is a pioneer in what he's doing for all of us.
No mather what nation launched the spaceprobe, no mather who's nationality is up in space, i feel that when it comes to space traveling... it seems it's the only time different nationalities find a way to work together, to build something that is beyond our imagination.
What happened is a tragedy, no mather what caused it to happen.

My sympathy to their families and relatives.