Druss Posted May 3, 2003 #1 Share Posted May 3, 2003 US space agency (Nasa) officials say there was probably nothing that could have been done to save the crew of Columbia, even if mission control had fully realised the jeopardy the astronauts were in. A report to be handed to the Columbia Accident Investigation Board next week will say the crew were almost certainly doomed from the moment a chunk of foam from the external fuel tank struck the left wing shortly after launch. View: Full Article | Source: BBC News Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidhe Posted May 3, 2003 #2 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Well, couldn't they have made an emergency dock with the space station and then another couple of shuttle missions planned to pick them up? Russians would have helped here, I am sure. This sounds like CYA press releasing, if you ask me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizarro Posted May 3, 2003 #3 Share Posted May 3, 2003 yeah, this is not true- i agree with Sidhe. we could have hurried another space shuttle launch or something to rescue them. i find it very difficult to believe that we are completely helpless if something goes wrong on a launch. we would have had plenty of time to brainstorm as they were in no apparent danger floating in space. we have rockets, we could have sent supplies to them somehow. this is just a cover for their incompetence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted May 3, 2003 #4 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Sidhe, I think the Columbia wasn't structured to dock with ISS, but don't quote me on that, I might be rememebering wrong. But also, whatever they discovered, how do you know they could have any more assurance of the one they send up will be anymore reliable? I don't think they are incompetent, they are human, therefore fallible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidhe Posted May 3, 2003 #5 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Well we don't know, of course, whether another shuttle would or wouldn't make it, but we do know doing nothing certainly doomed them. I liked the movie Apollo 13.. shows what kind of ingenuity you have (or had) at NASA for working out problems like this. I don't accept the "we couldn't have done anything" answer. I would accept "we did not think we had such a problem," which appears to be the truth. By saying the former, they have all the appearance of shifting blame, which dishoners NASA and the ones lost. In my opinion, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted May 3, 2003 #6 Share Posted May 3, 2003 (edited) KC, I'm always impressed by your knowlwdge of the space industry You are correct in that the Columbia could not have docked with the space station. Columbia did not have the necessary docking mechanism on board their flight since the mission did not involve a visit to the station. The docking mechanism is a module that is only used when the mission involves docking with the space station. Edited May 3, 2003 by Homer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted May 3, 2003 #7 Share Posted May 3, 2003 Aw, thank you Homer, you know it is one of my passions, and I try to keep up to date on all the missions, and all that's involved. btw, tonight the crew from ISS will be landing in Russia. I hope they have good coverage of it, so we can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted May 4, 2003 #8 Share Posted May 4, 2003 (edited) I can tell it's one of your passions, and I enjoy our discussions about it btw, thank you for informing me they made it back safely Edited May 4, 2003 by Homer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted May 4, 2003 #9 Share Posted May 4, 2003 You're welcome Homey. I was so happy with the news! (could you hear me cheering?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted May 4, 2003 #10 Share Posted May 4, 2003 I sure did Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted May 5, 2003 #11 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Even if docking was impossible, space walks were not. I may be wrong, but i do belive there are enough EVA suits for the whole crew. It would be simple matter to ditch the shuttle and float the ISS. NASA screwed up big on this. But i think part of the screwup came from funding cutsand increased pressure and such..bad combo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy Posted May 19, 2003 #12 Share Posted May 19, 2003 This past weekend, members of CAIB visited The Cape to see for themselves, the tons of debris recovered to date. During their review, Chairman Gehman "hinted" at several new developments concerning the possibility that a Rescue Attempt could have been made. Many aspects of this abound, too many to list here. Bottom Line: Those at Mission Control did NOT have accurate data to determine the extent of damage to Columbia's left wing (foam impact during liftoff 1/16/03). Therefore, their assessment that the foam strike would not constitute a "flight risk" was in error, BASED ON KNOWN DATA, to date. Satellite images were DECLINED by Space Shuttle Program Manager. Non- essential materials could have been 'tossed' from Columbia, to reduce weight. Angle/Mode of reentry could have been altered to prevent less exposure to the left wing ... to heat ... and therefore, away from the Sun's relenting excessive heat, the left wing would have "chilled" thereby eliminating entrance of Plasma, that ultimately doomed the craft and Crew. Columbia could have remained on-orbit for longer than the 'guestimated' 3 or 4 days, thus allowing more time to work out a plausible solution. One other NOTE: Columbia, being the 'elder' shuttle was too large and bulky to dock successfully with Alpha (ISS). Her future missions had to be relegated to scientific/repair Missions. CAIB's final report due July 2003. Nancy http://www.floridatoday.com/columbia/colum...ory2A52894A.htm http://www.spacenstuff.com/Editorials/news.php?id=174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidhe Posted May 26, 2003 #13 Share Posted May 26, 2003 Another new article that shows NASA has reversed the opinion that originally motivated this thread (and which got me irate): Columbia rescue may have been possible, NASA says May 24, 2003 BY MARCIA DUNN CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.--NASA could have launched another shuttle to rescue the Columbia astronauts if it had realized the severity of the wing damage early on and decided it was worth the extreme risk to the second ship and crew, the chief accident investigator said Friday. Retired Navy Adm. Harold Gehman Jr., chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, said the question was put to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration earlier this month and that the agency's preliminary findings show that such a rescue would have been technically feasible. But he added: ''I've got no idea if it would have been successful or not.'' Gehman stressed that a rushed rescue mission by shuttle Atlantis and four of NASA's best and most seasoned astronauts would have been ''very, very risky--but not impossible.'' He said astronauts would have been ''standing out in the hallways to volunteer.'' In the days after the Feb. 1 tragedy, NASA managers insisted nothing could have been done to fix Columbia's wing and save its seven astronauts. But earlier this week, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said he would have strongly considered sending Atlantis to the astronauts' rescue, even if it meant losing another shuttle and crew. AP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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