Nothing they could do? But didn't they have Atlantis already stacking in the VAB? Couldn't they got her up as a LON?
The latest blog post really describes the cultural issues that existed back then. And the improvement after that is most evidently shown by those FRR articles and great L2 FRR briefing content.The style of writing is really good. I wonder if Wayne will write a book of his very own...
The thing that struck me repeatedly during that... difficult read was the repeated impression Wayne gives that the STS-107 team (and he laudably admits that he shared that malady to a certain degree) were literally psychologically incapable of admitting to themselves that there was a serious problem. Because of that, no serous attempt was made to consider mitigating action because no-one honestly thought it would be necessary.History records the rest.
No
A spacecraft with a damaged heatshield cannot re-enter.Manned spacecraft are normally equipped with a docking or berthing port.COTS has given NASA the ability to launch cargo resupply missions using spacecraft with a berthing port.
When manned missions restart can a Launch On Need (LON) cargo vehicle be ready for launch with food, water and air?It will probably need fitting with an NDS docking port.
Quote from: A_M_Swallow on 01/08/2013 03:31 amWhen manned missions restart can a Launch On Need (LON) cargo vehicle be ready for launch with food, water and air?It will probably need fitting with an NDS docking port.My guess to what Jim's 'no' is referring is the lack of power. Food, water and air won't get you far enough as the Shuttle fuel cells deplete and cannot be refueled on-orbit. No power = no heating + no life support. The latter might work in emergency situations without but not the first..
This year is 2013. It is not too late for NASA to introduce a new safety rule that says e.g. "By no later that 2020, manned spacecraft shall support in flight refuelling of all consumables used by life support systems, including electrical power".
Sorry for the dumb questions. But why does Wayne Hale say that the DOD images wouldn't have made a difference? Couldn't the astronauts have stayed at the ISS or return on an emergency Soyuz?
Remember, Columbia was "too heavy in the rear end" as Bob Crippen said at the STS-107 memorial for a flight to the ISS.
Latest part:http://waynehale.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/after-ten-years-too-little-too-late/Without being presumptuous, I've got a feeling the hardest reads are yet to come on these recollections.