[ale] OT: Space Shuttle Columbia

[Jonathan Rickman]

On 5 Feb 2003, Jeff Hubbs wrote:

> Do you think for a second that if one of the seven astronauts walking up
> to the gantry elevator just suddenly stopped and said, "that's it - I'm
> not going up.  There are problems that aren't fixed to my satisfaction,"
> that he'd be escorted into the Orbiter and strapped into his seat?  Or
> court-martialed?  Someone check me on this, but I don't think that ANY
> NASA astronauts on space flights who were active military were UNDER
> ORDERS to complete their flights, nor do I think they undertook them in
> as part of their military duties (except for perhaps the classified
> Shuttle flights).

Last post for me on this one...

Jeff, you're still totally missing my point. Forget that I ever used the
words "military" and "ordered" mkay...

The point is, flying the space shuttle is freaking dangerous. It will
never be completely safe. This is not a trip across town in a Volvo, it's
a big friggin plane that travels through the upper atmosphere at a speed
greater than a rifle bullet. IT IS DANGEROUS. I'm not implying that those
brave souls were expendable, but it's foolish to think that we're gonna
successfully eliminate all risks. Those folks knew it, and accepted it.
Who the hell are we to argue with them?

--
Jonathan Rickman
X Corps Security
http://www.xcorps.net

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