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no1_vern · 07-02-2003, 05:33 AM

NASA e-mails to shuttle crew on foam: 'Absolutely no concern'

07-02-2003, 05:36 AM

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a CYA policy at NASA. I also expect skeletons to start falling out from NASA closets as the enquiry progresses.

daveleau · 07-02-2003, 06:07 AM

They have seemed pretty forthright so far with their findings in the Challenger incident and problems with the Mars landers. I would be surprised if they started to cover things up now.

07-02-2003, 06:28 AM

Somehow, i don't trust any governmental agency, including the Military.

By the way they are organized, all government agencies shirk responsibility, think they are above the rules and laws applicable to ordinary Joe Camel and conduct their own, often closed-door and secretive enquiries.

They take care of their own.

I am not saying this is the case this time, but organizations like NASA will do all in their power to cover up so that their funding remains unchanged and they will happily write this off to an accident.

Not good, but such is life.

PS: I am not a cynic nor paranoid. Just a straight-shooter.

Phynix · 07-02-2003, 10:34 AM

Actually, it's in NASA's best interest to not cover anything up. If they can prove to their funders that the reason this happened was partially due to UNDER funding, then they stand a good chance to get increased funding. NASA isn't going to get cut, nor will they get cut to the point that no manned space flights occur. It's too late for that. Is NASA going to conduct it's own inquiry? I'm sure, and they have every right too. Nor do they have any real obligation to reveal the inquiry results.

Really, this whole thing is based on luck. Insulation has fallen off before and hit the shuttle, no major damage was done. Maybe it's luck that the other shuttles survived, maybe it's bad luck that this one didn't. They had confidence that nothing was wrong, or they would have done something about it. No cover up is needed. Those were friends of flight controllers up there. All that was done, was done from past experinces, which is the only thing that NASA has to go on.

07-02-2003, 10:45 AM

But if the enquiry reveals lapses on NASA's part, there will be a lot of incentive to bury the results. That is what I was referring to.

daveleau · 07-02-2003, 10:52 AM

Phynix is right. It is in NASA's best interest to show they need funding. Whether or not the foam causes or helped along the removal of the heat-shielding tiles that created the problem is not something I have enough knowledge about to discuss.

NASA is not military, either. The military and NASA are completely separate entities with completely different chains-of-command and funding.

As for being a cynic, I am not going to say you are or you are not. I am merely going to provide the definition.

Quote:

Cynic--

A person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness.
A person whose outlook is scornfully and often habitually negative.