Space Shuttle Columbia EXPLODES!

I think that if you look at how long the space program has been in existence that only 17 people have died in amazing. how many flights have space shuttles and rockets taken? I don't think that the risks are great. people are more likely to die on a airplane than on a space shuttle. Granted that the shuttle's technology is WAY out of date doesn't mean that it was inferior. I think that people look at technology as a status symbol. Better Technology costs more. for example some people have no use for a DVD player, because they can watch the same movies for a lower price on a VCR. Do you still get the same satisfaction and output, I think So. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the crew.

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Top 3 Coasters:
Millenium Force
Texas Giant
Shivering Timbers

Its' beem almost 17 years to the Day of the Challenger, which perished on January 28, 1986.

How many flawless missions have we flown inbetween these, though?
*** This post was edited by john peck 2/1/2003 1:17:23 PM ***

Exactly, WoodenCyclone. They did not die in shame. BatwingFan, we can't tuck tail between our legs in a situation like this. Think of all the explorers, sailors, and pioneers who have died exploring out planet over thousands of years. Think of the massive number test pilots who died to give up air flight and space flight. (Not to mention millitary folks!) These folks have given their lives to further the exploration of our planet/universe.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Earlier I said that before the shuttle program started they figured one out of every 100 flights would be a total loss. I was wrong.....I heard on NBC now that the number is one in 75! The risk is not avoidable.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

I would venture to say you'd be way safer on an airplane than going into space.

Everyone says they're obsolete. They're old, but like our military fighter jets, they are continually upgraded to keep them up to date. Recently, the Columbia had a 'glass cockpit' installed.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

They just had an article on msn that stated it was 1 in 438. Of course that is just the chance of a launch problem. Many other factors have to be added in to get a real number. However it would be enough to disagree with EricJones as surely more than 438 planes fly a day without 1 crashing. Maybe I misread it however and you simply meant more people die due to the volume that use planes? Everything in life has risks.

"NASA put the shuttle program on hold after the Challenger accident until 1988. The agency has put the odds of a catastrophic accident during launch - the most dangerous part of any shuttle mission - at 1 in 438."
*** This post was edited by CoasterFrog 2/1/2003 12:29:44 PM ***

I heard that too. I think they were talking to Buzz Aldrin that from launch through landing the odds were 1 in 75. That could be wrong. I read years ago that it was slightly over 1 to 100.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

RIP Columbia Crew.

I am saying the risk factor of flying in an airplane is greater than a space shuttle. Another factor is maintenance, the maintenance on the shuttle is far greater than that of airplanes.
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Top 3 Coasters:
Millenium Force
Texas Giant
Shivering Timbers

Are you nuts? Look at all the factors working against you going into space (100 miles up) versus 4 to 5 miles up.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

As an entering college freshman who has a strong interest in space exploration who plans to study Aerospace Engineering, I have always wondered why such an older spacecraft continues to be used. Even on some of my applications I stated that engineers need to come up with a safer, more advanced, more versatile spacecraft.

We have been using virtually the same spacecraft technology for over 20 years. Russia is still using the Soyuz spacecraft which has been used since the 1960's. As someone who is slightly too young to remember Challenger, but has always followed the space program as well as its history, this is the first major disaster I've been exposed to. I can only imagine the horror of Americans in 1986, many of whom watched live as Challenger exploded. I can only imagine the suspense of the whole Apollo 13 fiasco. I can also imagine the shock of the nation when the Apollo 1 test went bad, killing the second American in space and America's first space walker, and our chances against the Communist Soviet Union and killing our chances in reaching the moon "by the end of the decade." Ironically, the USSR had just as many disasters as us (if not more), they just kept them secret.

Today's event has put a new perspective of all these past horrific events for me. I express my regrets to the families and friends of all those aboard.
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Sean, who was ID'd when buying RCT2.
Nitro, Gemini, Laser, Ice, Thunder...The American Gladiators!
The only Coasterbuzz member with Ridgeline Racer in the Track Record.
*** This post was edited by astrosgp 2/1/2003 12:50:24 PM ***
*** This post was edited by astrosgp 2/1/2003 12:53:00 PM ***

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IGGY "THE KING OF COASTERS" said:
This will set the space program back 5 years or more

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Roller Coasters....A natural high......FEEL THE BUZZ!!!

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I don't think that this a very smart comment to make. Right now it is extremely too early to say anything of pushing it back. You don't know what caused this, how can you even estimate something like that? The Challenger stopped launches for about 2 1/2 years. And now you say that this, unknown problem, will stop it for 5 years or more? Whatever.

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Tim Schroll
ZEPPELIN FAN FOR LIFE

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Jeff said:
I said the day it launched that it was odd that Columbia was still in service, and now this.

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I was thinking the same thing when I heard about the accident, but one of the news channels said that it was Columbia's 28th flight out of a planned 100. If that's the case, then this shuttle was still in its early years, relatively speaking.

I'm old enough to clearly remember the Challenger accident, and it's so sad to see something like that happen again. My prayers go out to the victims and their families.

Aaron

I'd like to say that we should know something in less than 20 minutes when NASA puts out a statement. And john peck, I'd like to correct you, it was the 28th of January. The 26th being the day the Chicago Bears won the Superbowl. That's why I know that date. Hopefully NASA will be able to say something other than just saying that Columbia perished and that they are investigating. That is supposed to go to the media at 1:00PM EST, in less that 10 minutes.
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Tim Schroll
ZEPPELIN FAN FOR LIFE
*** This post was edited by MFRULES 2/1/2003 12:55:04 PM ***

Yeah the Challenger accident was Jan. 28th, 1986.

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So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

Some people say the shuttle wasn't a good model, and was old but I just heard on ABC News that this was a better model than the Russians have made, and the French tried to make but couldn't make a better model...

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Emerging from the ashes of Eric 013...

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ColumbusCoaster said:

I was thinking the same thing when I heard about the accident, but one of the news channels said that it was Columbia's 28th flight out of a planned 100. If that's the case, then this shuttle was still in its early years, relatively speaking.

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I think I can shed some light on that. The original plan for the orbiters was to have a quick turnaround time of a few days and low cost. Demands by other governmental groups made it much more complex and expensive than NASA had hoped, and the number of flights and frequency were reduced because the turnaround time was significantly decreased.

In other words, the designed lifespan (I think) is 20 years or so. During that persiod more flights were planned but they were more expensive than originally planned, so they never met their designed flight numbers. They are, however, approaching the end of their lifespan.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Just think of how much technology in general has improved since 1981. Yes, the shuttle was outstanding technology in 1981 and is still very good. But when you use the same basic design and technology as twenty years ago, the chance of a major disaster is bound to increase. There is so much more technology available now in the 21st century, and as opposed to just minor upgrades, there needs to be a major design change that is more compatible with new technology.

There are still American astronauts on the ISS, right? They can't stay up there forever.

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Sean, who was ID'd when buying RCT2.
Nitro, Gemini, Laser, Ice, Thunder...The American Gladiators!
The only Coasterbuzz member with Ridgeline Racer in the Track Record.
*** This post was edited by astrosgp 2/1/2003 1:32:56 PM ***

While many claim that the shuttle is old technology, isn't it common sense that NASA has probably remodeled and revampt the computer equipment in it's shuttles?

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Tim Schroll
ZEPPELIN FAN FOR LIFE

I know I'm not totally a regular here, but nonetheless:

I dreamed about being an astronaut up until the day I found out it's pretty much impossible if you don't have 20/20 vision. I still watched every shuttle launch & landing that I could (I preferred the landings myself, they were so cool), and always dreamed about what it must be like out there...

I did a complete double-take this morning when I saw that for a split second on Yahoo, this was not what I expected this morning. My thoughts go out to everyone involved, from the families to the crew on the ground to everyone who had something to do with this mission and the people on board. The seven astronauts went doing something they loved and I loved living vicariously through them. Rest in Peace.