If anyone thinks flying into Space will ever be "safe"...?

There is a lot of knashing of teeth on this Shuttle misson launching this weekend.





Yes, there ARE a lot of enept managers in/at NASA who have no concept of engineering/science fundamentals, and the Challenger was just one instance of which management overrode safety concerns, and decided to launch anyway, but then pointed the finger when things did not go as planned(but then, passing the buck in FAILURE has become america's national pastime. You don't see too much finger pointing in success, do we?).





But I can tell you as an engineer, Space travel will NEVER be "safe", strapping yourself basically to a


rocket going several miles per second, and a ehigh level of complexity. SAFE is when you are dead, that's the only time in life any of us will really be safe. Not in your home, not in a monster truck/suv, and not on the Shuttle.





If given the shot to go on a flight, and the odd's are 1 in 100 I will not make it, then that is what I consider an acceptable risk. I wish I could go!

If anyone thinks flying into Space will ever be "safe"...?
I don't becuase I don't think that we were suppose to go there in the first place.
Reply:ok
Reply:Yes I think it will be safe in the future
Reply:yes, probably safe one day in the distant future!
Reply:Aren't "we" in a cheery mood today.
Reply:Well "they" said that man would not fly because "if God had meant man to fly, he would have given him wings" and later on they thought that if you travelled faster than the speed of sound, the aircraft would explode, and on and on.
Reply:Well, Superman does it
Reply:everything has risk even driving a car or riding a bike but the thrill of going out in space would be great!
Reply:it's been said we'd never fly, go to the moon or to mars (mars soon to come).





never say never...
Reply:Yes, once rockets are superseded. But protection from metorites and radiation will probably take longer.
Reply:You are not safe when you cross a street, or drive a car, so why would we be safe in space?
Reply:I think the problem is that you are limited in your thinking. The word "ever" is a long time in the human race. Think back to 2000 years ago. Did the people walking the earth at that point envision what we have now? Could they have possibly thought of all of this? Of course not...We are progressing at rapid speeds in technology. 2000 years from now rockets may not be used...There may be some whole new method of transport, unthought of at this time. Do you honestly think cavemen would have thought of hydrogen bombs and nuclear fusion as possibilities? In 10,000 years from now...our way of thinking will seem as primitive as the caveman is to us.
Reply:Yes, when they figure out how to turn us all into Superman.
Reply:I can watch the shuttle launch from where I live! The safety concerns that are being over ridden are unacceptable! I called the insurance agent to see if we were covered if it blows.He said he will get back to me on that [right]. You know if they say 1 in 100 it is a lot lower than that! My best guess is a snowballs chance in hell. How did they talk those people in to this? Listen for the word anomaly it means all bets are off! The earth is in bad enough shape we don't need to add all the pollution that testing and space flight produce! [ I know biting the hand that feeds] The reason they give for this launch is "We have a schedule and we would be backed up and not be able to get all the projects off in time" Space travel will never be safe neither will air travel.





Been on mission space at Disney yet ? how did you like it??
Reply:I'm with ya there my friend! I'd gladly accept the risks in order to go into space! Everybody who's gone into space has come back a changed person. They all say, there's no words to describe the incredible sense of awe they felt. I'd volunteer in a heartbeat.


I snicker at the silly attitude of people who demand that space flight be made safe. Slapping more and more safety devices on a rocket is asinine. It'l always boil down to the fact that you're sitting on top of a million pounds of rocket fuel. A gausse type "rail gun" would be far cheaper, and safer than any rocket, and you'd instantly increase the spacecraft's payload capacity. Seems like a waste of time and money in redesigning the shuttle fleet.



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