Foam

[sdelmonte]

Well, so much for the shuttle program. Grounded again after the current flight becuase they can't stop foam from breaking off the fuel tank.

Part of me is really angry that NASA thought they solved the problem, but clearly didn't. Once again, the people in charge of our space program are taking risks they shouldn't be.

Part of me is perplexed that the program can be brought to a halt by foam. It is humbling. of course, that these powerful marvels of (moderately) impressive technology can be stopped by something so simple. But it says that the tech isn't that good, is it, if something built to travel in space can be damaged so easily.

And part of me is not at all surprised. From day one, I have not had any trust in the heat shielding. It comes off too easily. It has been a problem for 25 years. And NASA's failure to replace it says all we need to know about the shuttle and its shortcomings.

Sigh. What a mess.

Comments

all is not lost

[greenbaron.livejournal.com]

I have had the feeling that NASA hasn't progressed in a few decades (though I do like the idea of shooting old Senators in space), but there is private sector solution and there are predictions that in a few years you could spend a few minutes in space for $30,000.00.

It's quite high I admit, but I imagine that cost will decrease as time goes on (like CDs, the original costs of air travel or long distance calling, etc.).

The sad aspect is that the Cold War was the catalyst for the advances of NASA, and we may need another advanced threat to push NASA into gear, or the private sector may push the advances answering a desire of potential space tourists.

Re: all is not lost

[sdelmonte]

So far, the private sector has disappointed. The X Prize was claimed, but no one has made a private manned spaceflight since, and no one seems to be in a rush to try anymore.

And while I have seen some worrisome DOD reports about China on Space.com, I think that China is years away from being any sort of catalyst for a space race. And I really do hope it doesn't come to that, anyway.

[dotsomething.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. When I read about it, I was thinking, "foam???"

However, as Atlantis is a backup contingency plan should the Discovery crew not be able to land (they'll have to take refuge on the space station until Atlantis picks them up if they can't land), maybe they'll do all they can to get Atlantis ready to launch this fall, just in case.