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18184, RE: Your opinion, Shelly. (please?)
Posted by guest, Tue Feb-04-03 03:29 AM
Ed, I agree with that theory or the current one of left-wing damage during liftoff.
Assuming the latter, the incident needn't have been fatal. Two vital pieces of equipment were NOT present (hindsight 20/20).
1. An MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit) and a tether sufficiently long to allow on-orbit inspection of the Orbiter. This could have confirmed the damage, if any.
2. An ISS Docking Collar. Then if damage sufficient to endanger re-entry was found, the Shuttle could have docked with the ISS to wait for the March launch of Atlantis. This would not, of course, have saved Columbia but probably could have saved the crew.
I admit I'm not a rocket scientist but wouldn't these have helped. True they consume space and weight, but an acceptable trade-off, I think.
NASA cannot be criticized for not having a "spare-tire", but some "flares", "rain-gear" and a "tent" are no-brainers.
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