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From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Value of Astronauts vs. Shuttle Orbiters
Message-ID: <318@omen.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Mar-86 07:45:54 EST
Article-I.D.: omen.318
Posted: Sat Mar 29 07:45:54 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Apr-86 06:48:06 EST
References: <9696@ucla-cs.ARPA> <588@qantel.UUCP> <2593@genat.UUCP> <669@ssc-vax.UUCP> <483@tekred.UUCP>
Reply-To: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
Distribution: net
Organization: Omen Technology, Portland
Lines: 24

In article <483@tekred.UUCP> joels@tekred.UUCP (Joel Swank) writes:
The loss of the shuttle represents a 1.7 billion dollar hit on the treasury,
assuming it's worth that much to build a replacement.  One could subtract
the value of what we learned directly from the 51-L loss, but I suspect
that's small compared to 1.7 billion.

A more logical issue would be, what other lives might that 1.7 billion have
saved had it not been needed to replace Challenger?  I'm sure that one
can think of alternate ways to spend that 1.7 billion that would save not
7, but 70, 700 or more lives, be it AIDS research, aid to the Contras, or
whatever your politics suggest.

Even if the 1.7 billion magically appeared from heaven, the 1 to 2 year
delay in the space program might cost us an incredible number of lives.
One possible (if improbabale) scenario: the shuttle telescope detects a
comet or asteroid on collision course with Earth in time to allow
corrective action, but only if it is launched on the original schedule.

   Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX  ...!tektronix!reed!omen!caf   CIS:70715,131
   Author of Professional-YAM communications Tools for PCDOS and Unix
 Omen Technology Inc     17505-V NW Sauvie Island Road Portland OR 97231
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