by Warren » Feb 1, 2003 @ 11:20pm
Mechcommander, I think you're putting way too much blame on the engineers and NASA, I mean, the Space Shuttle is the MOST complex machine made by man (watch the Top 10 Ultimate Machines on Discovery Channel). Don't you think that missing a piece of insulation is pretty small compared to the infinite number of things that can go wrong? And that insulation may not (and I highly doubt it is) the reason for the explosion. First of all, even if it was moving at mach 17, isn't the Space Shuttle too? It fell off during launch, so it didn't smash into the Shuttle that hard if it hit it. We'll just have to wait for the investigation.
As for the space program, I don't know, but I don't think this will be much of a hinderance. There's another Mars rover program scheduled for May, that should still go on. And what are you talking about Russia not doing their space program?! Only a few weeks ago, they sent up a new telescope that will be looking at the origin of the universe! It will be operating in 2004. Russia does tons of space stuff, probably about the same as the US.
And I wouldn't worry at all about the guys on the ISS right now, they'll come back safely. They're not going to be left there! LOL. Don't talk like Space Shuttles blow up all the time...they don't, this is the 2nd accident, out of HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of flights. If I had the oppurtunity, I'd go on a Space Shuttle tomorrow.