How so?

 

They have made too many simple mistakes and over sights in the past that, I don't understand how they could. I think they are too smart. What I mean about that is they will make things too complecated to see the easiest way something should work. Let me gives some examples:


When the Mars probe crashed into Mars surface about 3-5 years ago, the main reason was becasue someone at NASA who was working with Europeian sceintist, did not convert the metrics into inches and it botched the landing trajectory.

The challenger crash I just watched this a week or so ago. All the NASA engineers except one were infavor of not launching that day because the temp was too low, which woudl cause O-ring malfunctions. The one that wanted to go ahead with the launch talked with his advisors and assured them he was right and that the shuttle could handle the low temp launch. The other engineer went to every channel he could through the NASA and pleded that they not launch because of the potential results. The kicker is though no one who even entertained thier idea of what would happen just because they made the mistake of trusting this one guy who thought he was a high and mighty, NASA rocket scientist and his own idea was the gospel!! Well we all know what happened here.

The Columbia crash. As the shuttle was taking off scientist noticed the piece of foam strike the wing, but assumed it didn't cause any damage,)as we all know, what assuming does!) When the shuttle began it's entry into the atmosphere they noticed heat sensors going haywire in the same area where the foam had struck the wing. Did anyone of them put the pieces of the puzzle together no they didn't. They just let the warnings go on till it was too late.


These are a few short reasons why I think NASA can be and sometimes are IDIOTS!!!! They are put into their place to not make these mistakes! Thats why they are touted at the smartest of the smart!!

 

That probe was the EU's, not ours.

Challenger was a product of internal politics between appointed people trying to make impressions and not listening to engineers. This is no longer a problem.

Columbia was no one's fault. You could argue that the "new" foam that was mandated by the tree huggers was not as good as the original foam... but the fact is, it hit the wing and when it did, even before leaving the atmosphere, there was NOTHING that could have been done to save the crew or the ship. The best they could have done is sent someone out in a suit, rolled the ship so he could get a look, rolled it back and bring him in. Foam hitting the wing was never a big issue as the pieces were never big enough to do real damage to the tiles.

You could argue that same logic on New Orleans and hurricanes... the diffrence is they were warned of what could happen. NASA engineers are pursueing the unknown, and there are calculated risks involved that everyone must understand. I would understand this before I climbed aboard.

 

You know, I made a rocket modelled after the orbiter shuttle once in science class, it got about 80 feet high before it fell off trajectory and shot into the ground. (one of the d-class booster engines failed)



I spent a lot of time making ity look like this, but it "burned up" on impact. Damn rocket science is harder than you think!

There were a few options for protecting or saving the crew if need be, which is why this disaster angers me.

 

Such as.....? There is no way to prep another orbiter in time. Soyuz? Would have had to have a few of them, and again.. no prep time before they ran out of supplies. ISS? Maybe.. but that doesn't solve the problem.. still have to get them down. All that would have done was move them from one place to the other, and I doubt the O2 scrubbers on the ISS would have been able to deal with that much CO2. Using the Soyuz docked at the ISS wouldn't have been wise as that would have left the ISS crew without an emergency route home, only shifting the people at risk from Columbia creew to them.. besides, you would still need more than one.

 

I don't think there was nothing they could have done on the Columbia, I just don't think they were presented with the problem in time to try and formulate a solution. By the time they understood what was happeneing it was too late. I'm sure they have counter measures in place to help with things like this. And if you think all politics are gone out of the NASA program then I would reconsider thinking that. They have just as much polical BS to put up with and cut through as alota other depatments do

 

It is not like it was. Protocal has been established due to the fall out from Challenger. They won't make the same mistakes again.... But to think that you can strap a craft onto two solid booster rockets and blast them into space everytime and come back safely is nieve. Just like driving around without a seatbelt. Sooner or later it will happen.

 

Your right they will not make the same mistakes again, just new ones. And you don't have to go all seatbelt on me and stuff........Mom!!

 

[highschool]OOOOOO He owned you with the seatbelt OOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!![/highschool]

 

HAHAHAHAHA!

Its just a risky business to be in.

As for impending asteriods....

If it spells the end of the world, expect one hell of a going out party!