Nasty Editorial on Teacher in Space "Stunt"

[Kemara]

I found this online and it makes my blood boil.

The NASA Space Shuttle And Roman Circuses
By: Patrick Barron, The Bulletin
08/17/2007

sincerely pray that by the time you read this short essay the Space Shuttle Endeavour has returned safely to earth. This decrepit and seriously flawed vehicle is once again at risk of destruction, along with all its crew, upon reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. And what, exactly, is the main purpose that NASA gives for risking the lives of its crew by blasting them into earth orbit? Why, so that a schoolteacher can give a lesson from space!

Ever since Christie McAuliffe was killed when the Challenger exploded a few seconds after liftoff in 1986, NASA's propagandists have been determined to get another schoolteacher in space. The accident investigation revealed that NASA browbeat its contractors into signing off for a launch in subfreezing temperatures. The contractors were concerned that sensitive O rings would become brittle and break when exposed to the rigors of blast off while still in a frozen state. Nevertheless, the Challenger was launched and brave people died - for no good reason. No one at NASA was ever indicted for negligent homicide.

Just four years ago, the Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry. Some protective tiles fell off the craft during blast off and there was nothing to protect the crew from being burnt to death upon re-entry. Again, no one at NASA was indicted for negligent homicide.

When the Endeavour blasted off a few days ago, a piece of foam from an external fuel tank punctured a hole the size of a credit card in the thermal shield. NASA has yet to order the astronauts aboard the craft to repair the hole. The astronauts can repair the hole, just to make certain, but desk jockeys at NASA have not decided yet to order the repair. I suppose they are worried that the astronauts have to help the schoolteacher prepare her lesson plans.

I am appalled at this spectacle for several reasons. Number one is that I am a pilot myself with test flight experience in supersonic aircraft. I have seen comrades die. But they did not die because they took a chance; they died being as cautious as possible. And they did not die for a propaganda stunt. They died maintaining our nation's military preparedness. Flight is dangerous enough without taking known risks. NASA is considering taking a known risk. It could repair the hole in the space shuttle but may decide not to do so. Why they are willing to take this chance with the lives of others is beyond my comprehension.

The number two reason that this spectacle appalls me is that the flight of the space shuttle just plain isn't necessary in the first place. Oh, I know, the astronauts are conducting interesting experiments that they may not be able to conduct on earth. So what? There are lots of things that could be done if we gave NASA all of our money so that it could conduct even more experiments. Why don't we? Because our money is a scarce resource and only the free market can allocate it efficiently in order to satisfy our most urgently desired wants. When the government takes our money and spends it, the government gets what it wants, which in this case is the wonderful and uplifting sight of a schoolteacher teaching a class from space. This callous and stupid spectacle rivals the free Roman circuses that were designed to keep the citizenry entertained with brutal human sacrifices so that it would not notice that the country was going to Hades. Sound familiar?

If American businessmen, adventurers, and entertainers think that space travel is necessary and profitable, they can fund their own version of NASA or pay the taxpayer-subsidized European Space Agency to conduct its experiments for them. But there is no reason that the American taxpayer should shoulder the cost, and there is no reason NASA should risk the life of a schoolteacher or anyone else for what is essentially a publicity stunt to ensure NASA funding to protect cushy government bureaucratic jobs.
The world's level of technological development has not yet advanced far enough to make space travel safe and economical, and there is nothing to be gained from space travel at this time that justifies the expense and the danger. That may change in the future, but for now publicly financed space stunts like the teacher-in-space should be terminated.

Patrick Barron is a consultant to the banking industry and lives in Pennsbury Township, Chester County. He can be reached at [email protected].

[iheartspacecamp]

There will always be idiots in this world. Sad fact. And this is coming from a guy who is a consultant in the banking industry? My guess is that his piloting days of supersonic aircraft failed miserably and his dream of becoming an astronaut, since shattered, has now made him a bitter old man. [/code]

[Boomerang]

Well with stupidity like that i couldnht help but send him an email reply. you can read it below. Warning it goes on for a while.


Dear Mr Barron,

I have just finished reading your editorial entitled "The NASA Space Shuttle And Roman Circuses" and the level of your total lack of knowledge involving any aspect of this mission or Astronaut Barbra Morgan boggles the mind.

First off Barbra Morgan unlike Mcauliffe in 1986 is not a passenger along for the ride. Unlike the teacher in space program that died with challenger she is not there simply to teach lessons from space and be a publicity stunt. Morgan was selected as a member of the astronaut class of 1998. She is a fully trained and qualified mission specialist with 9 years of training both general and for this mission. She has been assigned to the crew of STS-118 well before the columbia accident. If you want to compare her to Mcaullife who died on Challenger lets look at the diffrences. Mcaullife was selected as a payload specialist (a non career astronaut position that no longer exist) in June 1985. She recieved aproximately 6 months of training essentially on emergency procedures and living in space. She essentially would have been a passenger on the flight with no purpose other than her lessons from space. Morgan on the other hand is trained and has so far operated the shuttles robotic arm to aid in the assembly of the space station as well as the inspections of the orbiter that found the damage you mention in your editorial. Will she teach lessons from space? Only if everything else in the mission is on schedule and the timeline allows for it.

You're aparent lack of knowledge over any aspect of this mission is clear. The primary job of this mission is to continue the construction of the international space station. A 16 nation partnership which will bne a world class laboratory facility hosting crews from around the world once completed in 2010.

As for the tile damage. Again you show your lack of any knowledge on the subject. Columbia was not lost by tiles coming off during launch. then burning through on reentry. In that case a brief case size chunk of foam broke off the tank and puncjed a whole 8-16 inches all the way threw the leading edge. This small dmage on endeavour is 3 inches at its largest point goes through the tile but not the skin and is on a reinforced section of the orbiter. Shuttles have wsustained far worse damage in the past and survived reentry. NASA had announced several days ago that the damage would pose no danger tothe crew and the only worry was the possible vehicle damage and the length of time required for repair with an already tight schedule.

Sir i suggest you stick to consulting for banks and quit trying to panick other people who also wont take the time to do the research and learn what the truth is.

Sincerely
Jason S.

[iheartspacecamp]

did he write back? I actually wrote him a 3 or 4 sentence blurb about how I believed he was completely wrong and also how he needs to do his research (I also stated the differences in the tiles).

[Boomerang]

He did reply essentially said we are all entitled to what we believe which is true. And that he believes only test pilots should fly as astronauts even claiming the rogers comission had recomended that after challenger another lack of any knowledge on the subject. I sent him another reply we will see what happens.

[Mercergl]

Does that then mean that the Navy pilots who flew on Apollo 12 should not have been there? They weren't test pilots, but still pilots. I can't believe the ignorance that people have towards the shuttle and space program.

[Pancho]

Does that then mean that the Navy pilots who flew on Apollo 12 should not have been there? They weren't test pilots, but still pilots. I can't believe the ignorance that people have towards the shuttle and space program.

Apollo 12 astronauts Conrad, Bean, and Gordon are all graduates of the Navy Test Pilot School at Pax River. All three are members of the Society for Experimental Test Pilots.

When the "New Nine" and the third class of astronauts were selected, Test Pilots were still preferred.

[Mercergl]

Ah, never knew that, cool.