I kinda think the words were chosen because they were poignant. The original poet died in much the same way.

Soyuz uses a tractor system not available on re-entry. However in this case we are talking in relative terms to the shuttle, and rather presumptuously on my part, be the first with a NASA logo on it since the shuttle.

I actually believe (and this is just from memory, as I’m at my office right now, and could be totally making all of this up,) that in NASA’s report on Columbia, they *did* believe they could have done repairs that potentially would have reduced heating on the orbiter enough to get it down safely. However, that would…

It’s actually a subtle detailed nuance that is hard to encapsulate without getting totally derailed. Challenger was built before Columbia, but as a test vehicle that was later converted to a production vehicle. Columbia was the first purpose-built production vehicle.

It really, really is. But this is “Everybody dies” week for the history of American spaceflight, and I can’t get too far ahead. We’ll be diving into that in the end-of-week recap as to how this string of tragedies—Apollo, Challenger, and Columbia—changed the shape of the space program, but never as much as we wished…

Don’t mind me, just using my page-author-interaction powers to bump this comment up in the visibility queue... (Nice nuanced write up, thank you!)

Lalala, nothing to add, just manipulating my power as page author to bump this response up in the visibility queue, whee...

Challenger was built first but was only retrofitted for space flight after Columbia had already been built, so I would say Columbia was the first space-worthy craft, but I can see the argument for the same being said of Challenger.

although some of the same institutional problems later resurfaced.

Shh, you’re reading ahead in “Everybody dies” week for space. We’re getting there. As much as I wish we weren’t, we’re getting there.

Detailed subtleties that would’ve derailed the main article:

Thank you. It’s difficult sometimes to figure out how to recognize something horrible, walking the line between acknowledging it and not accidentally glorifying a tragedy.

Challenger was built out of the ground test article, OV-99, when it was determined that Enterprise was too expensive to remake as an orbiter. Challenger may not have been the first in space, but she had a head-start in construction.

Columbia was the first Shuttle to go into space.

Up until the whole thing came apart, I would imagine. That was also another preventable disaster. Similar damage had previously occured on prior launches and no action was taken to repair and prevent later damage as a result. What sucks is that even if the damage at launch was found out while Columbia was in space,…

How much freedom are you willing to give up to feel “safe”?

Interestingly, there was a very recent act of terrorism on the West Coast, and it had nothing to do with Disneyland whatsoever. I guess The Happiest Place on Earth must only be the second-juiciest target, behind Nondescript San Bernardino Office Park.

Gotcha, so no one gets any rights as long as a bad person exists.