Space Shuttle Damaged

[Joe Walsh]

NASA announced today that a service technician accidentally dropped one of the Space Shuttle's cockpit windows. :o
The falling window hit and damaged some of the Shuttle's critically important heat tiles. :(

NASA immediately launched an investigation into who caused this accident....
They have narrowed it down to 3 technicians....Larry, Moe, & Curly :stooges:
as well as their supervisor....Homer....DOHHHHH H!

[MM03MOK]

Not one bit funny.

Godspeed to the crew of STS-114.

[STLR FN]

I was thinking the same thing Mary.
Not one bit funny.

Godspeed to the crew of STS-114.

[texascorvette]

Oh, it's funny.........but it's tasteless.

[Two Hawks]

GeeeeeeZ! What a tough audience.


:popcorn:

[Fourth Horseman]

And people tell me the military is a waste of money. Yay NASA. :shake: :rolleyes:

I wish they'd just roll the government payload delivery mission into US Space Command and leave the rest to private industry to fund and develop. I'd even be ok with some government R&D grants, since everybody always points to the advances made by NASA during the Apollo program.

Or scrap the whole thing and buy something we can, you know, use. Like more armor for our soldiers and marines in Iraq. Another hunderd F/A-22 Raptors. More and better public school teachers. etc. etc.

Yes, yes. I've got my fire proof undies on, all you Trek fans feel free to flame away at me now. :)

[modular46]

NASA announced today that a service technician accidentally dropped one of the Space Shuttle's cockpit windows. :o
The falling window hit and damaged some of the Shuttle's critically important heat tiles. :(

NASA immediately launched an investigation into who caused this accident....
They have narrowed it down to 3 technicians....Larry, Moe, & Curly :stooges:
as well as their supervisor....Homer....DOHHHHH H!


Must be the same guy that was on "Build or Bust" last night (rerun from Feb 2005). He kept dropping everything, couldn't finish the bike and left early. Russell (Exile) had to boot him.

[MarauderMark]

Yeah i heard that it's not a problem and they have plenty of plastic and duct tape.. :lol:
Just heard that everything has been repaired and there ready for go..:up:

[rocknrod]

Must be the same guy that was on "Build or Bust" last night (rerun from Feb 2005). He kept dropping everything, couldn't finish the bike and left early. Russell (Exile) had to boot him.Wow did you see that ?
He was not mechanically enclined at ALL!
At times I felt sorry for him, but he kept arguing with the shop foreman like he knew something.

[twolow]

Without NASA I couldn't wear velcro strapped shoes :P

[duhtroll]

Well, the shuttle has been delayed until at least Monday due to a faulty sensor.

Knock NASA all you want. First one who thinks they can do the job better is welcome to step forward.

Thought not.

Maybe we should just let robots do everything and sit back and forget all that exploration crap. :rolleyes:

-A

[Fourth Horseman]

Maybe we should just let robots do everything and sit back and forget all that exploration crap. :rolleyes:

-A

Maybe we should just forget all the expensive exploration crap until we're at the technological level to make it practical.

NASA is a serious waste of money at this point in our history. Daydream all you like, but I don't see anything positive coming out of this program that couldn't be done cheaper, better and more effeciently through a combination of military control (US Space Command) and private industry. The militarization of space is happening and is innevitable. Let US Space Command deal with that. Use of space for communications and research should be handled by private industry.

[BruteForce]

...through a combination of military control (US Space Command) and private industry.

What gives you the impression it isn't already under their control? :D

[chasrein01]

Maybe we should just forget all the expensive exploration crap until we're at the technological level to make it practical.

NASA is a serious waste of money at this point in our history. Daydream all you like, but I don't see anything positive coming out of this program that couldn't be done cheaper, better and more effeciently through a combination of military control (US Space Command) and private industry. The militarization of space is happening and is innevitable. Let US Space Command deal with that. Use of space for communications and research should be handled by private industry.
Just think of the naysayers back when Wilbur and Orville first tried powered flight and all the deaths that happened with the limited technology back then. Just over 40 years later (mid 40's) we were in the jet age and progressing towards the "space" age (rockets in the 50's) with man landing on the moon in 1969 just 66 years later! Talk about tech advances due to motivation! Sure, its now 36 years in this "stage" and were still advancing. The major "problem" I will agree is cost, and this is keeping most of NASA's equipment in early to mid 70's technology (have you actually seen some of the instruments the astronauts are still working with?). If NASA didn't have to follow as much red tape to follow, they might actually get the parts they want when they need them and they wouldn't be so out of date.

I think with all of the restrictions that are on the agency, they do a fine job and look forward to the next 30 years to see if they can develop space flight as much as mankind has regular air travel.

[Fourth Horseman]

What gives you the impression it isn't already under their control? :D

Exactly my point! On military missions Space Command is already in charge. So why do we need TWO agencies handling it? Give the whole thing to US Space Command and let the private sector handle the starry-eyed science-fiction space exploration stuff. We don't need an expensive government agency wasting billions on exploration.

[Fourth Horseman]

Just think of the naysayers back when Wilbur and Orville first tried powered flight and all the deaths that happened with the limited technology back then. Just over 40 years later (mid 40's) we were in the jet age and progressing towards the "space" age (rockets in the 50's) with man landing on the moon in 1969 just 66 years later! Talk about tech advances due to motivation! Sure, its now 36 years in this "stage" and were still advancing. The major "problem" I will agree is cost, and this is keeping most of NASA's equipment in early to mid 70's technology (have you actually seen some of the instruments the astronauts are still working with?). If NASA didn't have to follow as much red tape to follow, they might actually get the parts they want when they need them and they wouldn't be so out of date.

Well, obviously Wilbur and Orville were private sector. Had they been working for NASA powered flight wouldn't have happened until 1974, it would have cost $31.8 trillion, and killed two dozen people on the first 3 attempts.

[cyclone03]

Maybe we should just forget all the expensive exploration crap until we're at the technological level to make it practical.

.

And how will we know when we reached that point unless we keep working our way there?


I do agree that the private sector needs to pay for their transportation cost on their satalites.

I also wish NASA had a set GOAL.
The 60's the focus was the Moon.We did it now what?We did get a lot of spin-off consumer wise from the space program,Velcr(or hook and loop),ziplock bags,TANG, even advanced sodering techniques, the list goes on into the 100's of items.Would that stuf had been envented without the space program? Maybe who knows.

[chasrein01]

Well, obviously Wilbur and Orville were private sector. Had they been working for NASA powered flight wouldn't have happened until 1974, it would have cost $31.8 trillion, and killed two dozen people on the first 3 attempts.
Well, obviously, you need to look at history too. There have been a whole lot more deaths in the private sector (and that was just in trying to be the first in powered flight! -- look it up). And it's not like the deaths in the space program are people who were forced into the program, they all volunteered and knew the risks. As far as costs, it was put forward in an earlier post by you {Daydream all you like, but I don't see anything positive coming out of this program that couldn't be done cheaper, better and more effeciently through a combination of military control (US Space Command) and private industry. The militarization of space is happening and is innevitable. Let US Space Command deal with that. Use of space for communications and research should be handled by private industry}, but "militay control" would just mean that it's on a different set of books and still not private, so I do think you contradict yourself!?!?

Anyway, I do understand what you are saying, but there does need to be some type of oversight and regulations on the industry. Think about it, a "private" organization shoots a rocket / ship into space without any way to clear the exit and reentry or the debris left in decaying orbit (radioactive materials?). So a governmental agency should be in existence for this reason and the "competition".

[duhtroll]

Since when is space exploration "science fiction?" You're kidding, right?

Hey, Bush sez we're going to Mars. He also sez we need to beat China to the moon. :rolleyes:

I agree that NASA has done a great job given their restrictions. What I do think we need to do is stop bailing out the rest of the world when it comes to transporting things to/from space.

Besides the obvious practical applications (thousands of them) that have come from NASAs programs, learning for its own sake is why we are what we are and not just animals.

Hell, there's some of NASA in your Marauder. I like to think that NASAs benefits outweigh its liabilities.

-A

[Petrograde]

Ya know,.. those technicians are civilians. I wonder if I could get that job,.. I'll bet they have an opening now. :rolleyes:

Actually,.. I may be working for the contractor that does all the nondestructive testing (don't ask :P ) for the space program. If so,.. I'll be in FL., Houston, or Huntsville, AL.

I hope they get her flying soon!

[modular46]

Wow did you see that ?
He was not mechanically enclined at ALL!
At times I felt sorry for him, but he kept arguing with the shop foreman like he knew something.


I felt bad for him, too. It's only the 3rd show I've seen. One of the others went like that also. And Russell had the nerve to say, "I should interview them." The 3rd show the guy barely got it started (a bit late) and they gave him the bike anyway.

The show is the biker's version of the Apprentice. The trend seems to be about yelling. None of them are as classy as Overhaulin'. IMHO

[modular46]

Well, obviously Wilbur and Orville were private sector. Had they been working for NASA powered flight wouldn't have happened until 1974, it would have cost $31.8 trillion, and killed two dozen people on the first 3 attempts.


Born to late to appreciate the early NASA days, eh? Do you know where TANG came from? Microelectronics? To name just a few.

Anyone remember standing outside a night watching Echo fly over?

[Joe Walsh]

NASA announced today that a service technician accidentally dropped one of the Space Shuttle's cockpit windows. :o
The falling window hit and damaged some of the Shuttle's critically important heat tiles. :(

NASA immediately launched an investigation into who caused this accident....
They have narrowed it down to 3 technicians....Larry, Moe, & Curly :stooges:
as well as their supervisor....Homer....DOHHHHH H!

WOW! I didn't want to start a war, nor did I want to offend anyone....

I was merely using a little satirical humor to point out that NASA has devolved from a once great agency into a huge bureaucratic mess that has managed to kill two Space Shuttle crews.

IMHO both disasters were foreseeable AND avoidable.....

1. Booster section O-Ring gasket's poor elasticity at cold temperatures..."let's launch at 38 degrees."

2. Insulating foam chunks breaking off during lift-off and hitting the shuttle on prior missions, luckily with no major damage...."don't worry about that foam flaking off and we don't need a tile repair procedure."

[Fourth Horseman]

Would that stuf had been envented without the space program? Maybe who knows.

As I said previously, I would not be opposed to government R&D grants if handled correctly.

[Fourth Horseman]

As far as costs, it was put forward in an earlier post by you {Daydream all you like, but I don't see anything positive coming out of this program that couldn't be done cheaper, better and more effeciently through a combination of military control (US Space Command) and private industry. The militarization of space is happening and is innevitable. Let US Space Command deal with that. Use of space for communications and research should be handled by private industry}, but "militay control" would just mean that it's on a different set of books and still not private, so I do think you contradict yourself!?!?

No contradiction there, I think rather that I did not make that point clear. What I meant was that all US government payloads (ie. recon satellites, etc.) should be handled by US Space Command directly. Everything else should be handled by the private sector.

[Fourth Horseman]

Born to late to appreciate the early NASA days, eh? Do you know where TANG came from? Microelectronics? To name just a few.

Please read my previous posts about using government R&D grants to stimulate technological development. This is always the argument you get from NASA fans when you criticize the agency. "But they invented tang!"
:lol:

[rocknrod]

Please read my previous posts about using government R&D grants to stimulate technological development. This is always the argument you get from NASA fans when you criticize the agency. "But they invented tang!"
:lol:
Can't forget: We have "Moon Rocks" :banana:

[chasrein01]

Please read my previous posts about using government R&D grants to stimulate technological development. This is always the argument you get from NASA fans when you criticize the agency. "But they invented tang!"
:lol:
I do agree that the government does stimulate tech development thruogh grants (and that Tang was invented FOR / not BY the government space agency.. along with many other things we have now). Just as wars stimulate growth and developement (No, I do not advocate going to war just for these reasons! and I'd rather have peace except when circumstances prevent it.), I think without NASA (or any governmental space agency) requesting items to be developed, the ambition or desire to do so wouldn't be as great and we wouldn't even be where we are now.

[Bluerauder]

I think without NASA (or any governmental space agency) requesting items to be developed, the ambition or desire to do so wouldn't be as great and we wouldn't even be where we are now.
This is absolutely correct ... but with the caveat "unless there was a potential commercial market" for the item. There must be a profit motive for any full commercial venture. :D

[chasrein01]

This is absolutely correct ... but with the caveat "unless there was a potential commercial market" for the item. There must be a profit motive for any full commercial venture. :D
I agree with that completely!

[Fourth Horseman]

This is absolutely correct ... but with the caveat "unless there was a potential commercial market" for the item. There must be a profit motive for any full commercial venture. :D

Friends, when the technology is available to exploit space-based resources you can bet your next paycheck that the private sector will be racing to make it happen. History is replete with examples of similar situations. Until then, with the technology not yet at a place to make it practical, we're just throwing a lot of money at an agency with multiple missions that are not always (or even often) compatible.

[Bowman9]

I think it's time to scrap the shuttle after all it is 30 year old technology.
I remember watching NASA dropping "Enterprise" off the back of a jumbo jet to practice glider landings when I was just a kid in the mid 70's.

What ever happened to the space plane, the one that was suppose to take off like a plane (saving fuel) and then switched over to rockets when it reached the correct altitude to go into space??? This idea seemed more practical then huge rockets to blast us into space. I really thought we would have one of these "space planes" by now, I guess area 51 isn't ready to give it up just yet.

I would like to see the U.S. go back to the moon, but I don't think were ready for Mars if we don't have a spaceship better than the current shuttle.

Just my .02

[modular46]

Please read my previous posts about using government R&D grants to stimulate technological development. This is always the argument you get from NASA fans when you criticize the agency. "But they invented tang!"
:lol:


Sorry you misunderstood my poor humor.

[Fourth Horseman]

Sorry you misunderstood my poor humor.

Hey... I laughed. See: :lol: