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Fears after contact lost with Russian rocket
(CNN) -- Russia's mission control has reported an abnormal situation with a space freighter that launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome bound for the International Space Station, NASA said Wednesday. The rocket was carrying 2.9 tonnes of food, fuel and supplies, NASA said, but has no passengers on board. (www.cnn.com) और अधिक...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
@Alistair...Wasn't insinuating that the B-52 airframe maintenance would suffice for the space shuttle. As we all know airframes (especially shuttles) are built with huge safety factors built in. Proper maintenance within the realm of the original design/safety factors is always achievable no matter what the machine is. We could be still flying the Wright Flyer today had it been maintained properly.
@Alistair My comment wasn't arrogant. Today, space travel is a cooperative world effort, with the exception of China. I would have most welcomed Russia's engineers to give their input on our Shuttle failures. A fresh set of eyes is always good. Since America has decided to withdraw from spaceflight for four or more years, it is our own fault that the Russians are the only ones who can get us to orbit. Since they are the only ones, their space program is now even more important. When it comes to the Shuttle Program, I am not one of those who believes it was a great success. It was 30 years of staying in Low-Earth Orbit. And, the two Shuttle losses are unforgivable, in my opinion. Both happened from known hazards, and both should have been prevented.
@ Robert: The shuttle had 30.45 million newtons of thrust (7.8 million pounds of thrust) total! This in comparison to the B-52H total pounds of thrust of 110,000! Just with those numbers, you really are not comparing apples to apples when you are comparing a B-52 airframe to a shuttle airframe. Do we need to get into G loads and Mach numbers as well? It's like you are comparing an F-1 car to a turtle!
WOW....The old addage applies here, you get what you pay for, nobody wants the commitment (taxes) to fund a space program but when its gone they are the first to complain. Ya, I'm sure starting Jan 20, 2013 the space program will again be top priority especially during the current deficit meltdown...Get real! Although the decision to retire the shuttles is shaky at best..as long as they are maintained they would've been fine, just look at the B-52's 60 years old and counting and slated to be retired around 2035! (in service for 75 years!)
Well said Alistair.. von Braun got us to the moon!
We should send over the Germans to help the Russians out. After all, a German (Wernher von Braun) got the US space program off the ground after Sputnik was launched.