[extropy-chat] SPACE: Will Frances destroy the remaining three shuttles?

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Kevin Freels <megaquark at hotmail.com> wrote:
> With KSC preparing for Frances' arrival
> (http://spaceflightnow.com/hurricane/status.html),
> one has to wonder what damage, or good would come if
> the remaining three shuttles were destroyed by
> hurricane or tornado while in their hangers. 
> 
> Would this necessarily be a bad thing?

The answer to that is the inverse of whether you think
continuing the Shuttle program is a good thing.  But
what's likely is that the area will suffer repairable
damage, which repairs will come out of other NASA
operations, and possibly lead to a permanent increase
in Shuttle operation costs (due to the "need" to guard
against hurricane operations even at White Sands, or
even well outside of hurricane season).  Any
suggestion of mobile, quicker operations that could
use the Shuttles as vehicles to move themselves and
some cargo well out of the hurricane's path (which is
what you'd do with any high-value airplane) will be
quickly dismissed by the same administrators who
wonder why it's so difficult to get an extra billion
dollars to fund this "necessary" repair work.