> I was shocked to learn Saturday that NASA had not a mechanism to adequately > inspect the exterior of the shuttles for damage before the return to > earth. The reasons given seem to imply that NASA's ability for EVAs was > very limited and did not generally include on most flight the possibility > of such examinations. Further there was no effective ground or ISS-based > observation method either.
Weird. I recall when the shuttles first began flying, reading about how the bottom of at least some the ships (certainly the first) were being examined for damage remotely, by telescope from the ground. Further, I distinctly recall reading an article that described, and I believe had one or more photos of, a tile repair kit for use in space. What happened to all of these things, I wonder? I must admit it also seems very strange that the shuttle couldn't have been examined while docked to the ISS. By coincidence, a tube train in London (where I live) jumped the track last week and tore up a station, when one of its traction motors dropped onto the rails. Thanks to that, the major east-west tube line has been out of service for days, causing travel chaos. Apparent failure thanks to deferred maintenance, by way of ill-advised cost cuts -- twice in one week, seemingly.
