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From: john@frog.UUCP (John Woods, Software)
Newsgroups: net.columbia,net.space
Subject: Re: Ejection seats
Message-ID: <338@frog.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-Jan-86 11:33:49 EST
Article-I.D.: frog.338
Posted: Fri Jan 31 11:33:49 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Feb-86 01:09:54 EST
References: <667@ihwpt.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA
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Xref: watmath net.columbia:1919 net.space:5482

> While watching the news coverage about the shuttle disaster
> I couldn't help but notice how most of the commentators
> made a big deal about the shuttle's lack of ejection seats.

I didn't watch the TV coverage much, and didn't hear the ejection seat
issue discussed to death (the Channel 2 (PBS Boston) News commentator raised
the question to one guest, was told it wouldn't have helped and were bagged
because they were too heavy and too unreliable, and let it drop), but from
what I heard from almost all the commentators, such stupidity would not have
been unbelievable.

> The news people should stick to reporting the news and not to try
> to second guess NASA engineers.

AMEN!

>  10 to 1 they will have ejection seats on the next shuttle.

Not too likely, since the later shuttles were designed without them.  Only
Columbia was designed to have them (and they took them out).

>   I am also appaled at the networks treatment of the families involved.
> There is no reason to show over and over the grief of the families
> as they realize what is happening.  How do they expect people to feel.
> 
Again, I didn't see much TV coverage, but what I did see I did not find
excessive (which surprised me no end).  The TV people seemed content with
showing the same films over and over, rather than continually trying to
wrench new agony out of the families.  As a side note, however, notice that
the newspeople were banned from Concord High School, and asked to leave town
by the mayor, because they WERE pestering the school children for new agony.

Overall, I'd give the TV and radio news coverage a 2 out of 10, but
setting their average to a 5 would turn that into about an 8.5 or so...

--
John Woods, Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA, (617) 626-1101
...!decvax!frog!john, ...!mit-eddie!jfw, jfw%mit-ccc@MIT-XX.ARPA

This space dedicated to Challenger and her crew,
Francis R. Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith Resnik,
Ronand E. McNair, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Crista McAuliffe.

"...and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God."