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Shuttle Rescue
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Dimly Lit Lightbulb 😀 Send message Joined: 30 Aug 08 Posts: 15399 Credit: 7,423,413 RAC: 1 |
An article on Ars about the theoretical possibility of retrieving the astronauts on Columbia in space had they'd known about the damage it had suffered relatively immediately. Member of the People Encouraging Niceness In Society club. |
Bob DeWoody Send message Joined: 9 May 10 Posts: 3387 Credit: 4,182,900 RAC: 10 |
We will never know whether NASA would have taken the risk and gambled on the loss of a second shuttle. The remaining shuttles were grounded for quite a while while new procedures were devised and implemented. But it is hard to imagine that Columbia astronauts would have been written off without some sort of a rescue attempt. Bob DeWoody My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events. |
tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 8797 Credit: 2,930,782 RAC: 1 |
All following Shuttle missions had a rescue Shuttle ready to lift off in a short time. The only exception was the final Hubble servicing mission, in an orbit not being reachable. Hats off to all men on that mission. Tullio |
JLDun Send message Joined: 21 Apr 06 Posts: 573 Credit: 196,101 RAC: 0 |
The remaining shuttles were grounded for quite a while while new procedures were devised and implemented. But it is hard to imagine that Columbia astronauts would have been written off without some sort of a rescue attempt. I seem to remember that one of the new procedures was each new mission going forward (until the shuttle was retired) was having a space walk to specifically look for tile damage. While we don know if the Columbia's damaged tile would have been 'seen in time', I personally expect that, with help from the Russian program, a "rescue mission", or at least extra supplies, could have been done within a week. |
JLDun Send message Joined: 21 Apr 06 Posts: 573 Credit: 196,101 RAC: 0 |
Either way, an inspection. I think I was remembering as a space walk under the idea of "since they're out there most of the time anyway...". |
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