[ale] OT: Space Shuttle Columbia

[Joe]

Jonathan Rickman <jonathan at xcorps.net> writes:

> On 4 Feb 2003, Jeff Hubbs wrote:
> 
> > > This is a key statement.  They can't just perform a spacewalk under the
> > > shuttle.  They couldn't check the titles, and as such everything turned
> > > in to a [tragic] afterthought.
> >
> > I have yet to see an explanation as to why not.
> 
> The bottom is smooth. Nowhere to hold on/attach to. Adding attachment
> points would result in an unacceptable amount of friction at that point
> and would likely result in the same thing we saw Saturday. Besides, even
> if they knew, what options did they really have? Can't fix it.  Can't
> re-enter any other way. Can't dock at the ISS. Can't just fire up Atlantis
> and send them a ride.

Though there was a Russian mission to ISS scheduled for three days
after Columbia's scheduled re-entry. IF they had had the ability to
evaluate the damage and conclude that it prohibited re-entry, then
it's conceivable that supply launch could have been reconfigured
as a rescue. (Perhaps just to give the shuttle enough fuel and the
necessary equipment to rendevous with ISS. That, too, would merely
be a stopgap measure, but you never know if the pig'll learn to
sing.*)

Of course this is all 20-20 hindsight, but there are lots of launch
vehicles around these days, people and equipment are going up and down
all the time, and missions could be pre-empted to help deal with
situations like Columbia's. It would be a good example for the
spacefaring nations to set for everyone else, too.

-- Joe Knapka

* A guy pissed off the Emperor. "Off with his head," says the
Emperor. "No, wait!" says the man. "Give me a year, Your Majesty, and
I'll teach your pig to sing!". "Hmm. OK. But if that pig ain't singing
by next year, off with your head."

"You can't teach that pig to sing!" says the man's wife, later.
"Maybe not," says the man, "but a lot can happen in a year.  I might
die. The Emperor might die. And who knows, the pig might learn to
sing."

(Probably a Lazarus-Longism, but I'm not sure of the source.)
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