|
Post by Hunny on Feb 1, 2013 10:46:00 GMT
'I think they would rather not know. Wouldn't it be better to have a happy successful flight and die unexpectedly during entry than know there was nothing to be done, until the air ran out?' How Columbia crew died in ignorance
Shuttle was headed home from a 16-day science mission when it broke apart over Texas in 2003
NASA employee Wayne Hale said mission control made decision not to tell crew of danger
NASA has revealed that the Columbia crew were not told that the shuttle had been damaged and that they might not survive re-entry. The seven astronauts who died will be remembered at a public memorial service on the 10th anniversary of the disaster this Friday at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle was headed home from a 16-day science mission when it broke apart over Texas on February 1, 2003, because of damage to its left wing. Ten years ago, experts at NASA's mission control faced the terrible decision over whether to let the astronauts know that they may die on re-entry or face orbiting in space until the oxygen ran out. Doomed: The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia (left to right) are David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool and Ilan RamonDisaster: Debris from the space shuttle Columbia streaks across the sky over Tyler, Texas, Saturday on February 1, 2003 Those on the ground decided that it would be better if the crew were spared knowledge of the risks. There was no way to repair any suspected damage - the crew were far from the International Space Station and had no robotic arm for repairs. It would have taken too long to send up another shuttle to rescue them. Wayne Hale, who went on to become space shuttle program manager, has written on his blog about the fateful day. Mr Hale writes: 'After one of the MMTs (Mission Management Team) when possible damage to the orbiter was discussed, he (Flight Director Jon Harpold) gave me his opinion: ''You know, there is nothing we can do about damage to the TPS (Thermal Protection System).'' 'If it has been damaged it's probably better not to know. I think the crew would rather not know. Don't you think it would be better for them to have a happy successful flight and die unexpectedly during entry than to stay on orbit, knowing that there was nothing to be done, until the air ran out?'
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2013 12:52:35 GMT
Good call.
|
|
|
Post by Synonym on Feb 1, 2013 22:25:42 GMT
I can understand the thinking but it also seems a little bit like not telling a terminally ill patient. They may want to 'say something' to their loved ones. Or have messages relayed to them. Not made up my mind.
|
|
|
Post by toby on Feb 2, 2013 8:09:19 GMT
Toby comments.:- Very sad case indeed, the Shuttle is extremely complex and everything has to work correctly, there are no margins for error when travelling to and from Space.
|
|
|
Post by DAS (formerly BushAdmirer) on Feb 2, 2013 19:58:52 GMT
Very tough spot for Nasa and that Columbia crew to be in.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2013 20:07:48 GMT
I can understand the thinking but it also seems a little bit like not telling a terminally ill patient. They may want to 'say something' to their loved ones. Or have messages relayed to them. Not made up my mind. Space travel is so dangerous that I suspect they did that before leaving. Maybe not though: perhaps both the astronaut and the family all have to go into these things with total confidence that they will return.
|
|