dietz@SLB-DOLL.CSNET (Paul Dietz) (01/29/86)
First impressons of reactions: (1) Reagan's speech was masterful (the last sentence, especially). You have to admire his style. Reagan has apparently ruled out immediate cancellation of the shuttle; long term reaction is hard to judge. (2) Criticism of NASA has been muted, perhaps because it would seem in bad taste so soon after the incident. (3) The anti-manned spaceflight planetary scientists will jump on this to try to scuttle the space station and perhaps cut back on the shuttle. Thomas Gold was strongly critical of the shuttle and of manned spaceflight to low orbit as practiced with the shuttle when he was interviewed on MacNeill/Lehrer this evening. The juxtaposition of this tragedy with the Voyager-2 flyby of Uranus did not go unmentioned. (4) NASA isn't helping things by keeping quiet, although it's unfair for the news media to expect immediate diagnosis of the cause of the tragedy. If NASA takes too long the media could get unruly. (5) Pro-space groups have gone into damage-control mode. Ben Bova was on the local TV station downplaying the accident. (6) The level of media interest is astounding. Hard facts will be scarce for a while, so there's going to be a tremendous news vacuum sucking all sorts of speculation, accusation and justification into public view. A lot of what previously seemed unpatriotic criticism will be aired.
alan@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Alan Algustyniak) (01/29/86)
My predictions: 1) Almost every 'psychic' who writes for the supermarket tabloids will claim to have predicted the event. 2) Von Danieken will write a rash of books about the 'Shuttle Triangle' and coverups of alien interference. They will all be best sellers. Your Welcome, Al Algustyniak
rfradenb@bbnccv.UUCP (Roger Fradenburgh) (01/31/86)
In article <2599@sdcrdcf.UUCP> alan@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Alan Algustyniak) writes: >My predictions: > > 1) Almost every 'psychic' who writes for the supermarket tabloids will > claim to have predicted the event. > > 2) Von Danieken will write a rash of books about the 'Shuttle Triangle' > and coverups of alien interference. My prediction: Your predictions will, unfortunately (no reflection on you), prove to be 100% accurate (I heard a report yesterday that some nitwit had already wondered in print or on the air if the apple someone handed to Christa McAuliffe might have been an incindiary device). I can almost see the National Enquirer, sitting in a rack by the checkout counter, proclaiming, "NASA Hides Proof Shuttle Destroyed By Alien Spaceship!!". Depressing.
carroll@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU (02/01/86)
It's hardly NASA's fault that they have nothing to say about what went wrong. If they figure it out within the next month, I will be amazed. It's just too complex to look at some raw telemetry data and say, "Yup, that's what did 'er".
ethan@utastro.UUCP (02/04/86)
In article <2599@sdcrdcf.UUCP>, alan@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Alan Algustyniak) writes: > My predictions: > > 1) Almost every 'psychic' who writes for the supermarket tabloids will > claim to have predicted the event. > > 2) Von Danieken will write a rash of books about the 'Shuttle Triangle' > and coverups of alien interference. > 3) It will be revealed by Jack Anderson that Russian psychics caused the explosion. Uri Geller will be invited to comment on this possibility on some idiotic talk show. -- "These are not the opinions Ethan Vishniac of the administration of {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan the University of Texas, ethan@astro.UTEXAS.EDU but they are the opinions Department of Astronomy of your favorite deity, who University of Texas is in daily communication with me on this (and every other) topic.