Space Forum / Astronomy / July 2006

http://www.space.com/adastra/adastra_discovery_call_060727.html

The above link references a National Space Society article about how
NASA 'made the right call' to launch STS-121, the most recent Space
Shuttle mission.

I find the article particularly weak and I take issue with many of its
points:

"Leaders make decisions. Great leaders surround themselves with
discipline specialists and rely upon their expertise to guide those
decisions. Those leaders have to factor in competing recommendations of
many experts, weigh the various risks and opportunities against the
goals and objectives and make a choice."

Wow. Stirring stuff. You would think NASA administrator Griffin really
made an important decision. He didn't. He gave final approval for a
mission to nowhere that we've done successfully over 100 times.
Nothing significant was accomplished or attempted. The final orbit was
220 miles from Earth. That's right, two hundred and twenty miles. It
is about as far from Earth as I am from  Caspar Wyoming and only a bit
more exciting

"Exploration and settlement have always entailed risk, requiring the
courage of brave souls to venture forth. Nations and leaders who
understand this principle prosper. Only a couple of hundred years ago
the mortality rate of explorers and settlers was quite high. Dutch
sailors figured that they only had an even bet of making it back home
alive. In America, the first English colony, Roanoke, disappeared
completely. Half the settlers in Plymouth died during their very first
winter. The risks were great all across the continent. Death Valley
wasn't named after the scenic view.

Space exploration is the greatest adventure embarked on by humanity,
with perhaps the greatest rewards, and its ultimate potential justifies
significant risk."

I will save my breathless praise for destinations a bit further away.
Space Exploration would be very exciting - we haven't truly done it
since December 1972.

"Space exploration and development activities are worth the risk. It is
time for the nations of Earth to embrace calculated risk, risk for a
purpose, risk that makes our souls sing. This mission of Discovery was
a stepping stone toward our future in space. Now that she is back home
and NASA back on track, let us be thankful for the brave who dare to be
great. Dr. Griffin made the right call."

The call wasn't right because the mission succeeded and it wouldn't
have been wrong had it failed. If we're going to risk human lives the
payoff should be great. This wasn't. Wake me when they go somewhere.
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from http://360.yahoo.com/k_e_p_l_e_r