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Columbia Disaster Anniversary

Posted by michael on from the up-up-and-away dept.

Jorkapp writes "One year ago today, seven astronauts perished in a horrible silver-white comet over Texas skies. Since then, life at the Johnson Space Center seems to have returned to normal. Still, memories of the doomed STS-107 mission can be found throughout the center. Space.com has a rather interesting editorial about NASA's past, present, and future with the Space Shuttle program. In the immediate future, returning the Shuttle fleet to flight is a key first step. Eventually, NASA plans to launch Constellation, a new Crew Exploration Vehicle designed to replace the shuttles." Jim Lovell has a few words to say.

4 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Pretty amazing by FTL · · Score: 5, Informative
    I've held one of the replaced shuttle tiles. They're almost as light as a brick of styrofoam. It is no small wonder that the damn stuff broke off so easily.

    They didn't. If the ET insulation had impacted the tiles, there would have been only minor damage (a weeks worth of repair time before the next flight was estimated).

    The insulation didn't hit the tiles, it hit the RCC panels at the front of the wing. These are entirely different. They are big, tough, heavy elements which turn out to be unexpectedly brittle.

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  2. Various FAQs by Alien54 · · Score: 4, Informative
    There are various FAQs online, in case someone forgot the Details:

    Online at Space.Com

    The Online Columbia Loss Faq, compiled through March 2003 much of which might be outdated, but good for lots of small details, and a sense of the history as it happened.

    The Columbia Accident Investigation Board Website, due to become inactive on February 1st, 2004 (!)

    People might want to download the final report while they can, dated October 2003, although It is also available on the Nasa Website here

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  3. Need some additional perspectives by sphealey · · Score: 4, Informative
    Most of the current discussion on the Columbia accident is being driven by NASA management and the Bush Administration. I would suggest that you read William Langewiesche's article in The Atlantic. and Jerry Pournelle's comments on the overall space access and the NASA situation (that's one of them; he write an essay about every month on that topic). Then the overall picture might be clearer.

    sPh

  4. Re:Blame the subordinates by gclef · · Score: 4, Informative

    It was both (not proving their case and not speaking up), but you're right that the blame lies not with the techies but with management. The engineers that did speak up were slapped down, which convinced the others that they should not speak up. (a lovely example of a "Chilling effect") A good summary of this all (which was posted in a response to the story on this a few days ago):

    http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2003/11/langew ie sche.htm