Let's get this straight: The Space Station crew is safe

William Atkins
Friday, 15 June 2007 23:57

Opinion and Analysis

NASA officials just concluded an interview on NASA TV at 1:45 p.m. EDT. The astronauts and cosmonauts onboard the International Space Station are not in danger. They are safe. Any news comments to the otherwise are false.

According to NASA and Russians officials [paraphrasing]: There is no risk of losing the space station. There are no plans to de-man the space station.

NASA says this is just a “day in the life of the space station”. It may seem like a dangerous situation to the average person, but this type of problem occurs on a regular basis in the life of space exploration. Currently, the computer problem is being worked, analyzed, and investigated.

NASA and Russian space personnel are investigating the problem with the Russian computers. They are working many possible angles to minimize the noise in the electrical system. They are confident that the problem can be resolved. If not, the members of the Expedition 15 crew have every likelihood of remaining onboard the Space Station even after the Atlantis STS-117 crew departs back to the Earth.

For those people who think we should abandon space exploration because of such problems, because of past tragedies, and because of a few crazy personnel with NASA; then let me remind everyone that we have over 40,000 people killed in the United States each and every year from motor vehicle accidents. We have all experienced people injured and killed from such vehicle incidents. There are crazy people driving cars on our roads at this very moment.

However, we not thinking of doing away with driving of our cars and trucks and other motor vehicles. Are we?

Remember, too, that many of these writers writing about the Space Shuttle and the Space Station are looking for ways to make things look more dangerous than they really are. They want to make a dramatic and exciting news flash to catch the reader’s eyes.

Again, people, think for yourselves. Do not believe half the stuff out there. Go to established and respected news agencies for your news and read several articles about any subject so that you aren’t just re-reading the same article over and over again.