NASA Budget Space Shuttle Thoughts

Regarding the issues with the Space Shuttle and theshould be wasted. I know these things happen, hell
in flight explosion of the Columbia. I believe that ofthat is the cost of going for it, but it still sucks. The
course that hindsight is always easy to use to placecrew knew it and actually jet boat drag racing is still
blame, however we must continue the program andthe most dangerous sport known to man, or
the Space Shuttle as it sits may not be the bestunderwater welding for a profession. I have a friend
technology as newer technology is now available forwho was a TRW materials specialist and it just
re-useable craft such as; are newer ideas for heatseems that it is old technology and we are better
tiles being considered and new technology ofthan that now. I have heard speculation by
materials being introduced some of which obviouslyconspiracy theorists, crazy stuff like; talk that the
cannot be talked about here. me discuss a few ideas,UFO caused it and shot down a U-2 over Korea also.
which can be used to prevent a similar occurrence.Then if you look at the Chinese, they have some
Now anyone who owns a boat knows that beforedevises also. Another rumor that the White Sands
you sail your boat, you give it a once over, truckChemical Laser Beam was tracking it and was able to
drivers take a bat to the tires, pilots pre-flight thecause the break up. Even if this talk is fiction still one
planes. Why would you not send a remote controlled,might consider the need for some sort of reflective
self-propelled robotic tethered devise around aemissions during critical phases of space exploration
shuttle before heading for home for a visualto prevent such potential problems in the
inspection? The unit could be pointed toward thefuture.Fiction or not shouldn't we have a plan? A
shuttle and continuously view the craft; spin it slowly.tethered video camera would solve this problem of
After all you are going to fly a spacecraft at machpossible damage during missions, okay then lets keep
25, through the atmosphere at 2200-3000 degreesgoing and complete the mission, we have so many
and pray that all is well?Eventually we can send in theexperiments that are worthy of our tax dollars and
scram jet engines and fly it back under power atthe future of mankind, we must stay on the cutting
your discretion. Or ask the UFO people to tow youedge of technology, we must not allow over
back? HA HA. You know things are different inside ofallowances for safety to prevent the need to risk it
a vacuum. All those who study space and vacuumsall for the betterment of the future. It is some of
know this. Just because you have an old piece ofthe most dangerous work known to man, yet it
hardware that runs, does not necessarily mean that itmust be done. So with this solution, we can prevent
can make the transition from the atmosphere intoa re-occurrence of that problem which downed one
the vacuum of space and back again safely. Not toof our greatest accomplishments and killed some of
mention the inhabitants during solar flares inour greatest Americans.We must not allow them to
space.Let's see the new X-Planes and what they candie in vain, we must continue to push for the future
do. Meanwhile let us put in a few simple techniquesand push the envelope and go where no man has
to use the current craft and allow those astronautsgone before. Never, ever, ever, ever give up. Push
who feel they wish to take the risk to volunteer toforward; it is the only way to that anything has ever
use the older craft until it is replaced. We need thesebeen accomplished by our species. We are on a roll,
experiments and resources to be used; nothingwe must continue. Think on it.