"After a vigorous, healthy discussion our team has come to a decision: we're ready to go," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said after the meeting. "The past two and half years have resulted in significant improvements that have greatly reduced the risk of flying the Shuttle. But we should never lose sight of the fact that space flight is risky."
I wonder how Griffin is reasoning this flight out. I think, based on his previous comments, that he's come to the conclusion that the shuttle needs to be replaced as quickly as possible. It's unsafe, and it's only a matter of flights before another disaster happens. You can't repair a design flaw without redesigning the whole vehicle. And when it comes to the shuttle - the whole sucker was a major design flaw.
However the US space programme still needs a vehicle to limp to the finish line when it comes to completion of the space station. He's made previous comments openly musing about the possibility that the ISS final design will be further chopped up, so that fewer flights are needed.
Griffin must've talked to a great section of NASA engineers - at least I hope so. And I'm sure he must be familiar with the concerns of some that feel that the Shuttle is still not ready. "...space flight is risky." All exploration requires risk. A culture unwilling to take risks at the right time, and more than willing to take risks at the wrong time is one of the time tested problems with NASA. I can't help but think that Griffin may consider it an acceptable risk to fly knowing that an in flight fuel sensor malfunction is a remote possibility. Whether that's a good idea or a bad idea depends on how nuts you are. Then again nothing is ever for sure.
Whatever his reasoning the only left to do is to pray for those astronauts.
Yeah going to the moon is where we need to put Bush and Fema. I guess 1300 dead people in new Orleans don't matter. FIX new orleans so it never happens again.
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