Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org (Dan Smith)]

Has anyone yet heard a news report about why the shuttle wasn't docked 
with the space station during its flight?  

Good sense would suggest if there was even a remote question about 
potential left wing damage, NASA should have ordered the shuttle to dock 
with the space station, where the station's robotic arm with attached 
camera could have made a close up visual inspection.  The station's arm 
was installed sometime ago, and since the shuttle doesn't always carry 
its arm, a station docking would have been wise.  They all could have 
remained safely in space while a crew recovery mission was planned.

I have only seen/heard news reports indicating the flight engineers did 
not feel there was a re-entry danger.




K. Jo Garner wrote:

>re: Columbia explosion. 
>
>found on alt.music.chapel-hill... take as you will:
>
From: dragonfly_777 AT hotmail.com (Sue S.)
>[1] Re: Space shuttle irony check
>Date: Sun Feb 02 20:12:34 EST 2003
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>
>Other observations:
>
>* The Columbia accident occurred on Feb. 1. In the Celtic tradition,
>this is Imbolc, a fire festival. On this day the Celts honored Brigit,
>the goddess of fire. Brigit was invoked as the "Bright Arrow" and
>"Sudden Flame."
>
>* The Christian Church turned Imbolc into Candlemas, a celebration of
>Mary's visit to the Temple in Jerusalem for a ritualistic purification
>after the birth of Jesus. A story tells of Simeon, a holy man living
>in Jerusalem, who, when Mary entered the Temple, greeted her and the
>child Jesus, and blessed the child as "a light to lighten the
>gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."
>
>* Palestine, Texas was founded by a group of settlers who hoped to
>build a "New Jerusalem."
>
>* Debris from the shuttle also fell on Nacogdoches, the oldest town in
>Texas and the place where the state's first producing oil well was
>drilled in 1861.
>
>* One piece of tile from the shuttle fell within 75 miles of President
>Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.
>
>* "Columbia" is an alias for the United States.
>
>-- Sue
>
>
>  
>