The Sky Is Falling!
First, it was the Mir space station. 143 tons (yes, I said tons) of metal plunged to Earth in 2001. Assurances were given that the fiery crash would be carefully aimed at an uninhabited region of the South Pacific, and fortunately that is what happened. At least the Mir was crashed crashed carefully. If some engineer had accidentally used English measurements instead of metric, it could have taken out Los Angeles or Tokyo, instead. But we know mistakes like that wouldn't happen.
Today, another spacecraft crashed, but this time it was by accident, as described in the following press release:
DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah - NASA's space capsule, the Genesis, crashed to Earth today after its parachute failed to open. It had orbited the sun for over three years on a mission to gather clues to the origin of the solar system.
The $260 million project crashed with a cargo of particles collected in space, and it is unknown whether the containment vessel holding those particles ruptured on impact. Complicating the situation is the worry that the explosive charge that was to release the parachute may still be functional and capable of detonation, which would send the space particles far and wide.
"This just wasn't supposed to happen," said physicist Roger Wiens of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which designed the particle collection system.
The impact of the crash left the Genesis device partially buried in the desert, and NASA engineers fear that a recovery attempt could detonate the explosive charge. Photographs of the downed craft reveal an absence of all life within 600 yards of the impact site.
Witnesses reported a team of NASA workers in hazmat suits approaching the site, then turning away before retrieving the containment vessel. One worker claimed she had a bitter taste in her mouth and a feeling of nausea that turned her away, but a NASA spokesman dismissed the report, stating that the workers were only there to observe the wreckage, and would not approach until the condition of the explosives could be determined. The spokesman went on to say that reports of Earth creatures behaving strangely in the area were the product of overactive imaginations.
When is NASA going to start being more careful about letting things fall to Earth? Especially objects the size of the Mir space station or the Hubble Space Telescope?
Blog Tag: News Blog Tag: Opinion
Posted 9/08/2004 06:23:00 PM
L
On 9/08/2004 6:57 PM, 
dkgoodman said...
On 9/08/2004 9:50 PM, Terri said...
On 9/08/2004 9:51 PM, magz said...
3 Comments:
Oh, yeah... that part about a bitter taste, strange behavior and an absence of life? Just kidding, folks. :)
I was hoping we'd get to see the stunt men give a go at trying to lasso this thing before it hit the ground. Unfortunatley the parachute didn't open but you'd think they would have thought of a better way long before now. This seemed a little last minute if you ask me.
And, if they don't come crash down on us will they some day crash down on someone else? What will they think? They they're under attack? Maybe we should all start wearing helmets?
sad state o affairs... havin ta 'disclaim' the worker claims and lack o life.... sigh. just haveta start callin ya orson goodman..... its a pretty alarmin story in it's own right though... jeez i hope we eventually figure out what we're doing up there... it's always disturbed me that NASA contracts.... to the lowest bidder! been watchin most of the nasa stories...
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home