Columbia's Affect on Middle East: Your Conjecture

[Lancecastor]

My best guess is as follows:

1. The foam insulation knocked some tiles off or loosened them.

2. Because the Columbia was too heavy to take the CanadaArm, the damage could not be surveyed and possibly to decide on docking at the ISS.

3. During re-entry, the affected areas on the left wing overheated a tire to the point of explosion inside the wing.

4. The explosion popped off the gear hatch and caused the catastrophic failure and destruction of the Columbia.

5. Apollo 1 and Challenger both created long delays in the space program.

6. Present pressure to support the International Space Station will call for increased Russian cooperation.

7. Putin, who has lots of under-developed oil reserves, will use this leverage against the USA at the UN Security Council and directly to keep the USA out of Iraq and capturing that country's competitive oil reserves.

8. This could result in the USA having to back down from invading Iraq and increasing Russian trade with the USA. Middle East tensions increase.

9. Conversely, this could result in the USA invading IRAQ anyway and withdrawing from the ISS with a quick, risky shuttle launch to the ISS before the investigation is complete. Russian-US relations deteriorate.

Your thoughts?

Lance

 

[Thrillhouse]

Never mind

 

[someplace]

History buddy sez the Challenger blew up 17 years ago. The shuttle today was Columbia.

 

[someplace]

A relative used to work in Mission Control. Actually NASA has A LOT to do with the running of Space City in Russia these days. The Russians can't afford their own space program.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Never mind

What he said.


Sheeeeesh, Lance.

 

[HeavyStick]

1. Insulation or ice.

2.a Even with an arm, the shuttle doesn't have the supplies aboard to repair it.

2.b. They had no way to survey the damage from space. NASA reviews every take-off frame by frame. Even with their cameras, given the altitude and angle they couldn't guess the damage.

3. Hard to say, could have been a simple crack where the debris hit. At Mach 6+ the amount of heat and the effect on the aerodynamics could have been enough.

4. Possible.

6. We better not hold our breath.

7. The equipment they have couldn't sustain full production. It's an empty promise that'll get Anti-war protestors something to bitch about.

8. & 9. It'll have no effect, IMO.

 

[acitore_vuli]

My best guess is as follows:

1. The foam insulation knocked some tiles off or loosened them.

2. Because the Columbia was too heavy to take the CanadaArm, the damage could not be surveyed and possibly to decide on docking at the ISS.

3. During re-entry, the affected areas on the left wing overheated a tire to the point of explosion inside the wing.

4. The explosion popped off the gear hatch and caused the catastrophic failure and destruction of the Columbia.

5. Apollo 1 and Challenger both created long delays in the space program.

6. Present pressure to support the International Space Station will call for increased Russian cooperation.

7. Putin, who has lots of under-developed oil reserves, will use this leverage against the USA at the UN Security Council and directly to keep the USA out of Iraq and capturing that country's competitive oil reserves.

8. This could result in the USA having to back down from invading Iraq and increasing Russian trade with the USA. Middle East tensions increase.

9. Conversely, this could result in the USA invading IRAQ anyway and withdrawing from the ISS with a quick, risky shuttle launch to the ISS before the investigation is complete. Russian-US relations deteriorate.

Your thoughts?

Lance

Flying pigs will save the space program and bomb Iraq.

 

[Lancecastor]

Re: Re: Columbia's Affect on Middle East: Your Conjecture

Flying pigs will save the space program and bomb Iraq.

I gather people are having a hard time seeing the inter-relationship. I'm not surprised.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Yes Lance, you are right. I am not smart enough to see it.

(Be it known that this is the first time I have ever used that rolly eyes thingy. I hope it is the last, too.)

 

[Lancecastor]

Yes Lance, you are right. I am not smart enough to see it.

(Be it known that this is the first time I have ever used that rolly eyes thingy. I hope it is the last, too.)

I submit that in geo-politics, every event that affects a democratic country's psyche alters its political bargaining position.

 

[Desert Amazon]

 

[Texan]

Lance, you're just trying to stir shit. Nora hit on the reason your whole hypothesis is wrong.

The Russians were given two parts of the ISS program. On both, they were so far behind schedule and over cost, that NASA went to Russia to complete one part for them, and brought the beginings of the second part back to the U.S. to finish. Russia made the U.S. pay to buy them out of the program, but they still maintain a token participation.

Russia really doesn't have a space program anymore. China and France have been hiring the best Russian space engineers.

Back to the drawing board, Lance.

 

[A Desert Rose]

I submit that in geo-politics, every event that affects a democratic country's psyche alters its political bargaining position.

At the risk of the wrath of all.... I submit that you are discussing the American psyche. (One nation that I do know something about, unlike say, Canada.)

I think some of what you say is, in my opinion, not on target. I think your position is a bit far-fetched, thats all.

But, God knows.... stranger things have happened.

 

[Lasher]

Back to the drawing board, Lance.

Wait till you read the rest of the crap that Lance has been spewing today, Texan.

Given how your day has gone you might want to give it a rest.

 

[Lancecastor]

Seriously Lance, you really-really need to turn off the television and the computer and go breathe in some fresh air...

Let's see...I played hockey yesterday afternoon, went to the movies last nite, was the timekeeper and announcer at my son's hockey game this afternoon and I'm jamming with a garage band tomorrow before another hockey game...so if I'm as crazy as you fear it's not because I'm not getting out enough.

Thanks for your thoughts, Texan, and I'm sorry to hear about how this day has affected you directly.



Lance

 

[Texan]

Wait till you read the rest of the crap that Lance has been spewing today, Texan.

Given how your day has gone you might want to give it a rest.

I appreciate the sentiments.

The whole arean down here around Houston (and probably in several areas of the country) are taking this really personally.

I won't get too serious tonight. Not sure I'm up to it.

 

[Texan]

Thanks for your thoughts, Texan, and I'm sorry to hear about how this day has affected you directly.



Lance

Your comment is appreciated.

 

[Lancecastor]

I think your position is a bit far-fetched, thats all.

But, God knows.... stranger things have happened.

I readily accept that what I've said sounds far-fetched and may be 1000% wrong.

If I told you on September 11/01 that GW Bush had run a company that the people responsible for the WTC events had invested in, you'd have told me I was crazy then, too.

Truth is often stranger than fiction...and the USA's role in global politics has always been chock full of secrets.

Time will tell.

 

[JoseIsWild]

Has anyone noticed that the anniversary of the Challenger explosion was this past Tuesday? Now, four days later, the Columbia explodes. Eiree! Perhaps we should blackout this week for shuttle launches in the future.

 

[JoseIsWild]

Has anyone noticed that the anniversary of the Challenger explosion was this past Tuesday? Now, four days later, the Columbia explodes. Eiree! Perhaps we should blackout this week for shuttle launches in the future.

 

[JoseIsWild]

Has anyone noticed that the anniversary of the Challenger explosion was this past Tuesday? Now, four days later, the Columbia explodes. Eiree! Perhaps we should blackout this week for shuttle launches in the future.

 

[Guest]

 

[Lancecastor]

While I don't necessarily agree with your assessment, I do agree with this statement.

The geo-political environment is finely tuned, and sensitive to the smallest of changes. Whether this tragedy will affect that balance, and how, remains to be seen.

Thanks. I find it interesting how the smallest of things like how many athletes are sent to a particular meet are evidence of finely nuanced diplomatic messaging.

I think this event, which will ground the space program for the bulk of the remainder of GWB's (first?) term, will indeed be a watershed moment.

We'll see...

 

[crappie master]

Re: Re: Re: Columbia's Affect on Middle East: Your Conjecture

I gather people are having a hard time seeing the inter-relationship. I'm not surprised.

Hey Lance this pic is great! Do you care if I use it for wallpaper?

 

[Lancecastor]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Columbia's Affect on Middle East: Your Conjecture

Hey Lance this pic is great! Do you care if I use it for wallpaper?

By all the authority vested in me, I grant full and unfettered wallpapering rights to you.