The left wing was damaged during launch by a piece of insulation foam that detached from the main fuel tank.
Was this previously reported? or just now being speculated?
The flight director commented that this happened and there was no danger to the crew a few days back.
I am, like all others here, struck with sadness and sickness over this. Willie McCool was in my company at the Naval Academy. This very likely marks the end of the Shuttle program and certainly will ground US manned space for the next several years. Spacestation construction is done, and without yet another expensive redesign, likely signals the end of further work on that program as well.
Yup. And that totally sucks. People and nations should be allowed to take risks, and those astronauts willing to take the risks should be allowed to do so.
Explorers die in great numbers throughout history. Thousands have died getting to America, colonizing the west, and so on. Explorers die. That's what they do.
For those of us who have worked in the space business, for those who know any of the crew members, fellow astronauts, or their friends and families, and for anyone who has ever been inspired by the US manned space program, this is a terrible day. I can only hope we have the national fortitude to recover from this and develop a follow on program that will be properly funded and maintained to provide safe access to space in the future.
I cannot disagree with any of this.
I cannot disagree with any of this.
absolutely right. unfortunately, that means that contractors need to be a lot more sober about things and that the government be a lot more sober about trying to pork barrel it. this might, too, be a good time to take a look at what our goals are in space exploration. we should have had a permanent presence on the moon by now, but instead we have this ridiculous affection for low earth orbit. this is a time when we can decide to do it right, or we can order a truckload of duct tape.
dep