With the obvious impending demise of the Space Shuttle program, NASA is faced with the same problem as the owners of 'broken down old cars: pay for repairs or get rid of it immediately.' In this op-ed from Le Monde, a look at the global ramifications of Discovery's latest flight.
One day, perhaps, the space shuttle will be tenable. In the distant future, technological progress will permit manned space vessels to break free of the Earth and return with the occupants without much concern or effort, as it is in science fiction movies.
In the mean time, problems persist, as demonstrated by the return flight of Discovery from July 26 to August 9. And these problems can be dangerous, with passengers placed in a vehicle the components of which are likely to be damaged during launch. Despite all the improvements made over the two-and-half years since the disintegration of Columbia and the death of its seven crew members, a few chunks of insulation broke off [during liftoff], threatening the integrity of Discovery’s heat shield.
Full article translated from French with photos
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