Space Shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry over Texas this morning. Terrible news, yes. But surprising? Columbia was first launched in 1981, and is the oldest shuttle in NASA's geriatric fleet (even the "youngest" shuttle, Endeavor, has been in use for over ten years now). There has been growing concern for years that NASA wasn't properly addressing the safety issues involved with relying exclusively on such an antiquated transporation system for our manned missions. The 2001 annual report of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel warned:

The Panel has focused on the clear dichotomy between future Space Shuttle risk and the required level of planning and investment to control that risk. The Panel believes that current plans and budgets are not adequate. Last year's Annual Report highlighted these issues. It noted that efforts of NASA and its contractors were being primarily addressed to immediate safety needs. Little effort was being expended on longterm safety. The Panel recommended that NASA, the Administration, and Congress use a longer, more realistic planning horizon when making decisions with respect to the Space Shuttle.

Since last year's report was prepared, the longterm situation has deteriorated. The aforementioned budget constraints have forced the Space Shuttle program to adopt an even shorter planning horizon in order to continue flying safely. As a result, more items that should be addressed now are being deferred. This adds to the backlog of restorations and improvements required for continued safe and efficient operations. The Panel has significant concern with this growing backlog because identified safety improvements are being delayed or eliminated. NASA needs a safe and reliable humanrated space vehicle to reap the full benefits of the ISS. The Panel believes that, with adequate planning and investment, the Space Shuttle can continue to be that vehicle.

And so here we are. Yes, the NASA suits are already explaining on the 24-hour news networks, the shuttle fleet is old, but that doesn't mean it isn't safe. But the truth of the matter is that NASA, cut to the bone by a Congress increasingly hostile to the original ideals of space exploration, has been forced to make do with less and less every year, and it's beginning to show. Despite the fact that this is only our second manned loss in seventeen years, something already being reiterated in a mantra-like fashion by talking heads on Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN, it's yet another disaster in a string of failures that have plagued NASA over the past few years.

What an awful day.