FARK.com: (7570363) NASA reveals that it knew ahead of time that Columbia's re-entry was probably going to end badly

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		NASA reveals that it knew ahead of time that Columbia's re-entry was probably going to end badly (rawstory.com)		419
		More: Sad, NASA, Space Shuttle Columbia, re-entry, Columbia disaster, flight controls, TPS, Johnson Space Center

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26984 clicks; posted to Main » on 02 Feb 2013 at 12:14 AM | Favorite | share:

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Amos Quito		2013-02-01 09:00:37 PM

Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

MaudlinMutantMollusk		2013-02-01 09:13:26 PM

Wasn't most, if not all, of this known soon after the disaster?

/because I know I read about it somewhere

ZAZ		2013-02-01 09:17:33 PM

The blog is better reading than the metablog: http://waynehale.wordpress.com/.

AlwaysRightBoy		2013-02-01 09:40:56 PM

Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

I would just like a warning so I can come to terms about pleasing my wife.

Amos Quito		2013-02-01 09:45:44 PM

AlwaysRightBoy: Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

I would just like a warning so I can come to terms about pleasing my wife.

Please her anyway.

Why take chances?

;-)

NewportBarGuy		2013-02-01 09:51:58 PM

Ummm... I seem to remember telling us of this risk. Like, before re-entry. Maybe not NASA, but NASA-type people.

The risk was there. They all knew the risk. That is why Astronauts are some bad motherf*ckers and many of us wanted to be one as a kid.

It's not because it is boring and without risk.

DrPainMD		2013-02-01 10:07:31 PM

Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

I would rather have the opportunity to say good-bye to my family.

BarkingUnicorn		2013-02-01 10:53:15 PM

GAT_00		2013-02-01 11:35:59 PM

There was nothing they could have done to fix it and telling them would have done nothing. I don't blame them for that.

fusillade762		2013-02-01 11:59:02 PM

BarkingUnicorn: Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

I'd rather read about it first on Fark.

Meh. That'd just be a half dozen or so Farkers trying to blame the asteroid on Obama.

ecmoRandomNumbers		2013-02-02 12:01:26 AM

GAT_00: There was nothing they could have done to fix it and telling them would have done nothing. I don't blame them for that.

The impending doom is so sad, though. So many people knew they wouldn't make it. :(

GAT_00		2013-02-02 12:05:29 AM

ecmoRandomNumbers: GAT_00: There was nothing they could have done to fix it and telling them would have done nothing. I don't blame them for that.

The impending doom is so sad, though. So many people knew they wouldn't make it. :(

There was no guarantee they were doomed, there wasn't enough information. It was likely, but there was no absolute proof.

usernameguy		2013-02-02 12:06:07 AM

The story's been update (+ read the Weeners). NASA did not know that Columbia would break up (or that it had been seriously damaged).

SpikeStrip		2013-02-02 12:08:00 AM

best/worst surprise party ever.

AlwaysRightBoy		2013-02-02 12:09:13 AM

GAT_00: There was nothing they could have done to fix it and telling them would have done nothing. I don't blame them for that.

It's a real hard call, if they knew what the odds were, it's rather disturbing that they wouldn't let them have a last conversation with their loved ones.

/very sad

Begoggle		2013-02-02 12:16:31 AM

usernameguy: The story's been update (+ read the Weeners). NASA did not know that Columbia would break up (or that it had been seriously damaged).

Nah, it's true, I saw it on Fark.

coeyagi		2013-02-02 12:17:59 AM

What's the over / under for Fox News blaming this on The Blah One? Tomorrow morning? Tomorrow Afternoon? Tomorrow night?

Krieghund		2013-02-02 12:18:40 AM

usernameguy: The story's been update (+ read the Weeners). NASA did not know that Columbia would break up (or that it had been seriously damaged).

Thanks for pointing that out.

zekeburger		2013-02-02 12:23:02 AM

Couldn't the shuttle dock at the ISS?

Ed Willy		2013-02-02 12:23:09 AM

Obviously this has been updated, but theoretically no way they couldn't move over to the International Space Station as a life line and an international rescue mission be launched? I assume there could be a Space Walk to fix the panels, or at worst jettison it and send it out or orbit, or as a dead satellite until repairs could be made.

davidphogan		2013-02-02 12:23:11 AM

usernameguy: The story's been update (+ read the Weeners). NASA did not know that Columbia would break up (or that it had been seriously damaged).

Imagine that. A headline that's a sensational loaf of crap on Fark. That has to be a first.

SpdrJay		2013-02-02 12:24:22 AM

Need Another Seven Astronauts

BizarreMan		2013-02-02 12:24:32 AM

Amos Quito: I would just like a warning so I can come to terms about pleasing my wife.

Please her anyway.

Why take chances?

Why start now?

C18H27NO3		2013-02-02 12:26:11 AM

davidphogan: Imagine that. A headline that's a sensational loaf of crap on Fark.

At least this time they didn't use, "Smoking-Hot" in the headline.

Saturn5		2013-02-02 12:26:34 AM

I don't buy it. There's an escape capsule at the Space Station. Some could have come back on it while the others either waited for rescue or attempted re-entry. And if that kind of decision was made, it wouldn't be some big consensus that was discussed amongst a large group - 1 or 2 very high ranking people would have made that call in secret.

1.bp.blogspot.com

MrPleasant		2013-02-02 12:27:57 AM

Shuttle has to launch to the right orbit to reach ISS. it cannot get there unless that was the original launch plan.

I sound fat		2013-02-02 12:28:39 AM

Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

Yeah, but there were seven highly intelligent engineers on board that would be VERY motivated to think of a solution that, perhaps, the ground had overlooked. This does not seem legit.

/didnt they see apollo 13?

Saturn5		2013-02-02 12:28:43 AM

Saturn5: I don't buy it. There's an escape capsule at the Space Station. Some could have come back on it while the others either waited for rescue or attempted re-entry. And if that kind of decision was made, it wouldn't be some big consensus that was discussed amongst a large group - 1 or 2 very high ranking people would have made that call in secret.

[1.bp.blogspot.com image 323x416]

My bad - it wasn't a mission to the ISS. Oops. Still, that's not the kind of decision that's made with common knowledge.

Manfred J. Hattan		2013-02-02 12:29:06 AM

fusillade762: Meh. That'd just be a half dozen or so Farkers trying to blame the asteroid on Obama.

Nah, the asteroids were Jimmy Carter's fault but he got an operation to cure them.

Radioactive Ass		2013-02-02 12:29:25 AM

zekeburger: Couldn't the shuttle dock at the ISS?

IIRC the trajectory was wrong and there wasn't enough fuel to do anything even if they knew for sure that it wasn't going to make it. In addition there wasn't a shuttle that could be made ready soon enough to go get them without seriously risking both crews. That's why they always had a backup ready before the launches after the Columbia crash and one of the reasons why the costs went so high afterwards which ultimately led to the program being canceled before its replacement was even close to being ready.

Decados		2013-02-02 12:30:31 AM

Ed Willy: Obviously this has been updated, but theoretically no way they couldn't move over to the International Space Station as a life line and an international rescue mission be launched? I assume there could be a Space Walk to fix the panels, or at worst jettison it and send it out or orbit, or as a dead satellite until repairs could be made.

Actually they couldn't. The station was in a totally different orbit than the shuttle. After the main engines go off, and the big fuel tank the shuttle rides up on is jettisoned, there's no way to significantly alter it's orbit. They can make minor corrections, and burn to de orbit, but moving to a completely different orbital path is beyond it's capabilities.

This is one of the reasons that we almost didn't get the last Hubble servicing mission. It's not possible for the shuttle to make it to the ISS from the Hubble, due to the differences in orbit. The shuttle just doesn't carry the fuel to do that kind of maneuver.

ng2810		2013-02-02 12:30:31 AM

GAT_00: There was nothing they could have done to fix it and telling them would have done nothing. I don't blame them for that.

Bullshiat

content.answcdn.com

Don't you farking tell me that they would not have at least tried SOMETHING if they knew people were gonna die.

ChrisDe		2013-02-02 12:32:33 AM

They bought their tickets. They knew what they were getting into.

Meat's dream		2013-02-02 12:32:40 AM

Citation needed.

Eddie Adams from Torrance		2013-02-02 12:32:41 AM

I say, let 'em crash.

Nadnerbus		2013-02-02 12:34:11 AM

Apparently, failure was an option after all.

/someone should have called Clint Howard.

namatad		2013-02-02 12:34:11 AM

Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

because you farking asshole
they had families and children and friends
they could have spent their last hours saying their goodbyes
instead the nasa pukes "killed" them ....

so sad

enochianwolf		2013-02-02 12:34:46 AM

Do we know that the damage to the wing caused the explosion on re-entry? Where was Secretary Clinton at the time? Taxbongo?

/worst tragedy since 9/11, and I really mean that

Science_Guy_3.14159		2013-02-02 12:34:47 AM

I sound fat: Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

Yeah, but there were seven highly intelligent engineers on board that would be VERY motivated to think of a solution that, perhaps, the ground had overlooked. This does not seem legit.

/didnt they see apollo 13?

Didn't they also suspect the heat shield might have been damaged by the explosion that crippled the command module but chose not to mention it to the astronauts?

findthefish		2013-02-02 12:35:52 AM

I don't buy this story...last understanding I had was that the frontline engineers thought there might be a problem, but management was incredulous at the idea a piece of foam could cause damage.

jaytkay		2013-02-02 12:36:37 AM

ng2810: Don't you farking tell me that they would not have at least tried SOMETHING if they knew people were gonna die.

Letting them die quickly instead of prolonged suffering was something.

Treygreen13		2013-02-02 12:37:20 AM

I admit I chuckled sadly to myself when they said that their spacesuits and helmets wouldn't adequately protect them from the craft exploding and then falling to earth. I mean, that's awful... but... uh... duh.

the801		2013-02-02 12:39:44 AM

too bad that technology has advanced so much that we can't just fake it anymore, and we had to send real people into space knowing that they'd die.

on the other hand, we have 3-d lcd hdtv tvs. and i'd totally bet that more people care about that, even tho it kinda sucks, than care about space monkeys dying. so, maybe technology isn't so bad after all. as long as we can fake caring about astronauts, knowing that people launched on rockets are gonna die, and then pretend to be all surprised and sad when they do.

Kinetocracy		2013-02-02 12:40:28 AM

Shenanigans.

FizixJunkee		2013-02-02 12:40:56 AM

The choice between certain death (running out of air) versus the possibility of death upon re-entry. I would have gone with re-entry, too.

That said, could Columbia have docked with the ISS until rescue?

The Snow Dog		2013-02-02 12:41:36 AM

DrPainMD: Amos Quito: Yeah, that's sad, but I suppose that sometimes ignorance is bliss - comparitively.

Apparently their fate was sealed, and nothing could have been done to change the probable outcome. Why make them live their last few hours freaking out?

So given their decision in this case, do you suppose NASA would bother to tell us if they spotted a huge, dark space rock on a collision course for Earth, or just let it be a "surprise"?

/Eat, drink, Fark and be merry, folks

I would rather have the opportunity to say good-bye to my family.

I would like the opportunity to rampage, fornicate, steal some really expensive booze, do a bunch of heroin, and set some really big fireworks off sideways.

Treygreen13		2013-02-02 12:41:47 AM

the801: too bad that technology has advanced so much that we can't just fake it anymore, and we had to send real people into space knowing that they'd die.

on the other hand, we have 3-d lcd hdtv tvs. and i'd totally bet that more people care about that, even tho it kinda sucks, than care about space monkeys dying. so, maybe technology isn't so bad after all. as long as we can fake caring about astronauts, knowing that people launched on rockets are gonna die, and then pretend to be all surprised and sad when they do.

-2/10

Mock26		2013-02-02 12:42:23 AM

I have often wondered why they did not try to get them to the International Space Station. At that time it had been manned for nearly 3 years. Surely there was enough air on board to keep all of them alive long enough to retrieve them or at the very least get them supplies?

impaler		2013-02-02 12:42:47 AM

zekeburger: Couldn't the shuttle dock at the ISS?

No. Totally different orbit. It barely has enough fuel to do a retro burn to get back to Earth.