Jay Leno does a "Headlines" segment on the Tonight Show. One reason it's been so funny for so many years is that the headlines are new, and -- if not -- at least have new, humorous twists.
He doesn't recycle headlines verbatim. On the other hand, how many times has this headline been recycled over the years: "Space Shuttle Launch Delayed Again".
Yep, space shuttle Atlantis has had its launch date pushed behind a second time, to January 2nd, after more glitches in three fuel sensors were noted. Even emptying the fuel tanks as a precaution caused one to trip.
Let's see... the space shuttle program began in earnest in 1981, although we're still using the same basic shuttle design as was used in the 1970s. In all those years, has there been a complete retrofit, even though it was implied there was following the Columbia disaster a few years back?
It's the same four or five problems time after time. Since Columbia, concern about the heat shields and the foam around them have dominated headlines more than the actual shuttle mission. The decision to postpone the missions are very wise; we can never be too careful. We've already lost too many astronauts to flight disasters.
But these delays seem to be over the same problems. And it makes me wonder: If the shuttle program has been running for over 26 years, haven't designers & engineers done anything to evolve shuttle design? Why are we using almost the same design and the same parts nearly three decades later?
Think of Ford Motor Company still having the Pinto out as its #1 model in 2008, looking the same in body parts as it did in the 70s... going nowhere with fuel economy or safety. The design of a car model varies year to year as new advancements are discovered & implemented. If something's wrong, the model is recalled, and subsequent models take care of the defect.
We're not saying to redesign the shuttle and bring out a new one every year -- but with these heat shield (tile) problems resurfacing and delaying missions, don't you think someone would have gotten the message that the troubles could be solved by a redesign?
In twelve short years, from the time of the first orbiter to the first Moon landing, technology evolved so many times over, and man's dream to evolve space travel & exploration was realized. What has been realized since 1981? The goals seem to have stayed the same. The missions seem to entail the same details.
Where's the advancement -- not only in technology & design, but in an effort to move forward? Has anything been done towards President Bush's idea to explore Mars in the future?
Nope. Same heat shield problems... same fuel sensor problems... same delays. It's almost newsworthy if an initial launch date actually happens with no problems.
The shuttle looks to be a cash cow. The money would probably be better spent on eliminating other problems in this country (crime, education etc.). I for one am all for advancements in space. But if we're getting the same broken records for launch headlines, perhaps the Hubble Space telescope will be our only logical means of reaching the stars.
Brilliant engineers wanted... apply at Cape Canaveral if we are to win this race for space.
