Shuttle to Launch Despite Objections

sam0ht writes "NASA has just named July 1st as the launch date for the space shuttle Discovery, a year after the last shuttle mission. Last July's mission was the first since the break-up of Columbia in 2003, but after foam again broke away from the main tank, the shuttle fleet was grounded. More foam has been removed from the main tank, but NASA staff are divided over whether this is enough to ensure the flight's safety, with some reporting that both the lead engineer and top safety official are against launching again so soon. Managers want to make only one major change at a time, and plan that if damage does occur, the crew would be able to stay in the International Space Station, to which they are delivering supplies, rather than trying to land a damaged shuttle."

Comments

Re:Not quite

[WindBourne]

• When you think of the outing of Plame, do you think of GWB/Cheney or do you think of Libby (who has already said that he was following orders from his bosses)?
• When you think of the Abu Grave, do you think of the Rumsfield and/or generals with nebulous orders or do you think of the grunts at the bottom (who were following nebulous orders)?
• When you think of the deficits that have been ran up over the last 6 years, do you think of GWB who has the real say or do you think of congress (who is just a mass with no real responsibility)?
• When you recall columbia, do you think of Sean O' Keefe who was the head and denied the use of outside pixs or do you think of the engineers (who asked for outside pix of the hull but was denied)?
• When you think of challenger, do you think of Fletcher the head of NASA at the time who was putting pressure to keep the schedule, or do you think of engineers (who were opposed to flying it due to the low temps that had occured)?

The s**t flows downhill; it is no longer the buck stops here. Only Fletcher took a hit, but that was more tied to an ongoing investigation (I do not recall, but you can google it). Consider the difference between how Nixon was treated over watergate vs. Reagan with his IranContra or GWB with his PlameGate.

Re:Not quite

[Ohreally_factor]

Iran-contra was an ugly episode in this country's history, but I clearly remember Reagan going on national TV, admitting mistakes were made, accepting personal responsibility, and apologizing to the American people. Reagan had both balls and humility in that moment, and it's a big reason why I think of him as a great president, despite his failings.

W stands for Weasel.