T-114 minutes Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :
Saw the launch on TV. Pam Melroy's a Wellesley Alum, so half the faculty were watching live, the other half watching in Florida.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
I watched it live here at work on CNN streaming video on the internet.
Awesome.
Doesn't seem to get as much media coverage as I would have figured, though. Have to almost hunt up information on it.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
Not surprising. After the amount of media that made the world witness the Challenger disaster, I can understand a certain degree of hesitation by the media.
Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
While I would support more NASA related news coverage, I would be pleasantly surprised to find out that the media, collectivly, exercised some sort of self control regarding publicizing events that could turn out horrific, even if it means having less viewers tuned in.
I also support bad grammer and run-on sentences. Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote:While I would support more NASA related news coverage, I would be pleasantly surprised to find out that the media, collectively, exercised some sort of self control regarding publicizing events that could turn out horrific, even if it means having less viewers tuned in.
I would disagree here. Although I agree with the sentiment that seeing the destruction of lives is of course horrific, I don't think we should hesitate to show something that is otherwise a symbol of the height of mans inventive and enterprising abilities.
In addition, we show photographs of high-speed car chases, car wrecks, bombings (esp. those from the air), fire fights and many other realities that show 'invisible' death or the danger of death.
Also, I believe that the lack of coverage is more to do with lack of interest, rather than the media exercising restraint or caution.
Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
Actually the way I intended that to sound more agrees with you than disagrees. My basics thoughts on the subject are:
- I would like to see more coverage of this kind of thing.
- Normally the media, in general, doesn't have much restraint on what it shows. So, if in fact they did, then I would be pleasantly surprised, although in this instance I would not have agreed that it was the right thing to do.
- While I recognize that it is commonplace to have images and related stories of violence, danger, death and such in the news, I'm not entirely convinced that it accuratly represents the most important news stories of the day.
- I wholeheatedly agree that the lack of coverage on the Discovery is more likely a lack of interest than anything else.
- I would welcome some stories on our Stargate teams and their missions. Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
The space program needs to get some serious steam going. It used to be that astronauts were national heroes and classrooms would wheel in TVs to watch the shuttle launch.
Now the astronauts are just another government worker and the biggest excitement is when a celebrity gets to go into space.
We need some dang exploration and heroics again!
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
NASA has always had it's successes and failures in full view of the public. I think that is why America was so behind NASA in the good ol' days. There were so many things that happened in Russia that the world did not know about until after the collapse.
MC, I agree that NASA needs to generate more interest in the space program. Maybe after the Shuttle is retired (in 2010) and the Ares I and Ares V start test flights people will get more interested.
This is an exciting time in spaceflight. There are three countries that can launch people into space and some people are on the verge of making space travel available to civilians.
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
BTW Carrie, in the NASA world, they just say "Go Discovery!" I don't know why, that's just what the signs say.
Edit: Maybe it is from using the word "Go" to mean all good.
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Landing is set for today, with the deorbit burn set for 11:59 am. If that winds up being a good window, anyone living along this line might see a speck in the sky. If you have good eyes.
("Go Discovery" sounds silly. )
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
I agree. I have always said, "I am giddy with excitement for a safe mission." But that is hard to get onto a banner.
It's been a great mission for them. The impromptu solar panel fix was great. These people are true professionals.
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
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I am such a geek.
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