[meteorite-list] NASA grounds future shuttle flights

From: Mark Miconi <mam602_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Jul 28 18:19:04 2005
Message-ID: <004301c593c2$568cbe50$c4e76a44_at_Dell3000>

Tom,
Nasa stopped painting the fuel tank after the first flight or two to cut
down on weight. Any kind of netting that would survive the king of
vibration, sonic stress, and stress from drag would probably add substantial
weight to the tank. And as I think Chris mentioned the last thing they need
is a piece peeling away and flapping in the supersonic breeze.
STS has always been a dangerous, experimental, system. Making the orbiter
reusable is still not something easily done even with the advance of
technology. Nasa will probably find a workaround for the troublesome foam
but I think that it will be only a bandaid.
We need a new and better way. Some at NASA must have known this all along.
They have been very lucky to fly the STS as much as they have with as little
though far to many deaths.
The nation as a whole has to make a commitment to fly in space and then be
prepared to pay for it. Space is quickly becoming the high ground. What will
we do if communist China has bases on the moon and decides to start
controlling things here on Earth. How do we stop the kind of exploitation
that will inebvitably occur?

There are no easy answers, and no one seems ready to invest in space, other
than billboards.
I love space, I grew up as many did with the beginning of the Space program
and have always wanted to go.
I truly wish that we would mothball the shuttle and stop flying the damn
thing. The money could be better spent finding a better way. In the meantime
I am encouraged by the strength and conviction that NASA is now showing.
Keeping the shuttle on the ground is the worst thing that could happen to
the program, but the best thing for the heros we have been putting in the
thing.

Mark M.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Knudson" <peregrineflier_at_npgcable.com>
To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>; "JKGwilliam"
<h3chondrite_at_cox.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 4:44 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA grounds future shuttle flights


> Hi John and list, I have to wonder why they do not use some kind of
> netting
> imbedded in the foam so if it does break off, then it can't go anywhere.
> Kind of like the wire you see in some security glass or the same way they
> use chicken wire under plaster on houses. If I remember right they spray
> the foam on? If so the can loosely cover the parts with a netting and then
> spray on the foam?
> Thanks, Tom
> peregrineflier <><
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "JKGwilliam" <h3chondrite_at_cox.net>
> To: <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 4:26 PM
> Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA grounds future shuttle flights
>
>
>>
>>
>> SPACE CENTER, Houston - NASA officials said Wednesday they are grounding
>> future space shuttle flights because foam debris of the type that doomed
>> the shuttle Columbia is still a risk.
>>
>> Read the full article here:
>>
>> <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> JKGwilliam
>>
>>
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Received on Thu 28 Jul 2005 06:18:52 PM PDT