Well, they are getting ready to launch the shuttle and they still are facing the same problem. What is your opinion of this? Do you think they could've prevented the former Columbia incident from killing those people? I think they could've let them stay up there like they are doing with this one, if problems occur. Then Atlantis will come up to get them. Why didn't they think of that before?

Here's a little news about it:

NASA sets date

and

bbc

They didn't think it was a life threatening problem before the craft exploded on re-entry.

That was my take on it anyway.

To answer your question, I think they need to continue the program and hopefully they are doing so with caution. It is launching something into outerspace so there will always be severe risks.

Hate to keep bringing this up, but this is the same problem that they have not fixed, and are going to launch still.

There were emails that were sent out before Columbia re-entered that were pointing out the heat shields had been damaged. They still are having difficulties today, with the same situation.

Here's the proof that they were notified before the Columbia came back in by emails:

PBS

quote:

One raised the possibility of potential damage to the shuttle's left wing upon reentry. On Jan. 31, for example, the day before the accident, a flight controller at Johnson Space Center, was worried that superheated air could get into the shuttle.

I just think they do not care enough about it, they just want to push the space program ahead no matter what.