NASA sends shuttle to space, debris fears arise

NASA successfully launched space shuttle Discovery on Tuesday, but anxiously reviewed video showing debris falling from the craft during liftoff, the same problem that caused the fatal Columbia disaster 2-1/2 years earlier.

The debris did not appear to hit the shuttle during the smooth morning blastoff, marking a triumphant U.S. return to manned space travel after the long struggle to recover from Columbia’s breakup over Texas.

On the one hand, I am quite pleased that the shuttle took flight, although the debris situation is somewhat concerning. I will say that today’s launch was not as dramatic (to me, anyway) as the first launch after the Challenger disaster. I was in college when that launch took place and recall sitting in my car in the parking lot of the law firm where I had a part-time job to listen to the actual take off. It was a clear relief with the launch went off without a hitch. For some reason I can conjure that day in my mind as if it happened yesterday, rather than almost 17 years ago.

On the other hand, I am concerned that the shuttle is getting too old–waaaay too old. I distinctly remember getting up early to watch the shuttle take off when I was in middle school (STS-1 was on 4/12/81) . While I am hardly an old fogey, that was a while ago. And when one considers that the shuttle was primarily designed and constructed in the middle 1970s (Enterprise was built in 1976, although it wasn’t meant for spaceflight), meaning that most of the technology that originally went into it was from the late 60s/early 70s (in terms of original design and concept–with the tech being from the late 70s by the time Columbia went into space), that makes the orbiter one old piece of equipment in techno-years. I know we used aircraft for a loong time (e.g., the B-52), but please, we are talking space travel here.

If we, as a country, are going to be dedicated to manned space flight, we need to move on to the next vehicle or vehicles.

I will confess to a great deal of romantic attachment to space exploration (being that I was captivated by Star Trek as early as 5 years-old, perhaps younger), so I know my views on this topic are somewhat biased. Still, it seems to me that there is substantial gain to be had in knowledge and it economic benefit in the ability to venture beyond our planet. Granted: it may take a true profit motive for it to actually happen.

Regardless of where we go next, it certainly seems that the time of the space shuttle should be coming to a close–and I hope that it is a graceful exit, not a tragic one.