Sequence of Events During Columbia Mission

applemasker writes "Today's NYT is reporting that NASA managers actively resisted requests from vehicle engineers for on-orbit imagery. This should answer Administrator O'Keefe's question of why no engineers 'spoke up' during the flight. Seems they did; managers just ignored them."

Comments

If this is really the case

[T5]

then there needs to be total shutdown of space launch operations at NASA until (1) the managers responsible for this are no longer with the agency and (2) safety concerns are met with the proper attention all the way up and down the chain.

This type of sloppy attitude toward potential problems has gotten other federal agencies in enormous trouble in the past. Some of these agencies, like the DOE, have pushed safety back into the light and take it seriously. NASA has yet to do this.

It's sad, really, that what should be the shining star of the federal government turns out to be another sub-par agency, filled with bureaucrats, not technocrats.

Re:The only good news...

[stratjakt]

assuming it's accurate

That's a mighty big assumption for the New York Times.

If the democrats were in power, bet your bottom dollar they'd be singing a whole different tune.