[LINK] Finally up to date on the Shuttle

[Howard Lowndes]

On Sun, 2 Feb 2003, Ann Moffatt wrote:

> i worry that the yanks don't seem to learn lessons. they say they noticed a
> bit fall off on launch. i wonder if they informed the shuttle crew or had
> the damage inspected.
> 
> my gut feel would be that they held numerous meetings of 'top brass' at hq &
> decided not to tell anyone in case they'd have the program stopped, just
> like they did with challenger when they noticed a little puff of smoke on
> takeoff. according to feynman's findings at the enquiry, they knew with 14%
> probability that the o-rings would fail and still they hushed it up.

I wouldn't mind betting that when they saw the launch incident (of 
Columbia) there was a strong but unspoken opinion that the mission was 
doomed and that there was no way in which the damage (apparently to the 
heat insulation tiles) could be repaired, and that the consequence was a 
given.

So what do you do at that stage:

Keep quiet and let it happen and hope that there isn't enough evidence to 
hang anyone.

Tell the crew to take the pills - OK, not a nice option but a realistic 
one.  Lets face it, it would make sense (to me at least) that they would 
have several comms channels to these beasts; the ones that the world is 
allowed to listen to and the secure ones.

Tell the world that they are all going to die - I don't think that would 
happen in the present climate.

-- 
Howard.
LANNet Computing Associates - Your Linux people <http://www.lannetlinux.com>
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