Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] space shuttle explodes?

[Michael <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

> That's a pretty easy risk not to take.  But the real problem here is that
> we have no reason to believe that the risk isn't at least this high, very
> little reason to believe the shuttle will ever be intrinsically safer
> after this (this is a mature technology; it's just not very safe), and
> very little reason to resume our manned space program in the near term.
> It's extremely expensive, still embarassingly risky, and does not yield an
> appreciable amount of scientific discovery over what could be achieved by
> an unmanned program.  I think the saddest part of this loss is that,
> rather than being seen as another sign that we should reconsider the
> entire program, it will be read as an opportunity to show how "resilient"
> the program is.  I wish I could see a way out of this, but I don't.

The only way I could see killing off the shuttle program (or NASA) is if
we were going to replace it with something just as good. My real complaint
is they take safety to far. We'd be getting further if we took more risks.
Exploration by design is a dangerous business and by taking more risks you
can learn faster. Basic research and such is one of the few things I
actually think it makes sense to pay tax dollars for.

I for one would be willing to be strapped to a rocket and shot into space
regardless of the risk and I'm sure a lot of others would be also. A few
lost lives is nothing if the species as a whole does better because of it.
I'd really like to see the Moon, Mars, and Venus colonized while I'm alive
but at this point the only way I can see that happening is if shitty
second rate countries or corporations do it because the US space program
is full of PR people who would rather accomplish nothing than take some
risks. We landed on the moon and then just stopped. No more risks as long
as we already had beat the damn commies.

Not that unmanned missions don't make a lot of sense but I certainly don't
think we should stop manned missions.
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