Astronaut deaths in the 60s and 70s.

[Carnage_59]

Let me bring up a point here.

How many astronauts died during Mercury missions??? None.

How many astronauts died during Gemini missions??? None.

How many astronauts died during Apollo missions??? Three. Although Grissom, Chafee and White died on the ground during rehearsals, it was still the mission. The UTTER STUPIDITY of putting a PURE OXYGEN ATMOSPHERE om the spacecraft evades me.

How many astronauts died during Space Shuttle missions??? Fourteen. How many more will die until SAFETY becomes the priority it once was at NASA???

I see that the NASA IG is being investigated for covering up safety issues as well as ruining the careers of pilots who refuse to fly for safety reasons.

I know Mike Griffin.... he's a Class 1 bureaucrat. He won't fix it.... just make good publicity.

[Anth]

Compared with how many in the Russian space program running for the same length of time?

Nobody will know the true numbers, but I remember around 90 being killed (more like incinerated) in one go when a rocket with a new type of fuel exploded on the ground. The Russians who made it into space but hit the ground at incredible speeds too.

Compared to the Russian space program, the NASA programs have been far safer. Hopefully it will continue to be that way and the safety levels will improve since the last shuttle broke up.

[Carnage_59]

Originally Posted by Gaskell

Compared with how many in the Russian space program running for the same length of time?

Nobody will know the true numbers, but I remember around 90 being killed (more like incinerated) in one go when a rocket with a new type of fuel exploded on the ground. The Russians who made it into space but hit the ground at incredible speeds too.

Compared to the Russian space program, the NASA programs have been far safer. Hopefully it will continue to be that way and the safety levels will improve since the last shuttle broke up.

NASA won't improve as long as bureaucrats keep their jobs when a shuttle blows up or fries.

The Russian program is less safe, yes. Three Soyuz capsules in a row had their hatches fly off during re-entry and that's just one issue.

But SAFETY was a VERY BIG issue during Mercury, Gemini and Apollo....

...one former astronaut called the Space Shuttle a death trap.

[SherryGrace]

Space exploration is all but dead...for the public. There isn't the thrill and excitement there once once. Its hard to sell the public on spending tons of money to make it safer...when the average American couldn't care less.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by SherryGrace

Space exploration is all but dead...for the public. There isn't the thrill and excitement there once once. Its hard to sell the public on spending tons of money to make it safer...when the average American couldn't care less.

I'm afraid you're right, SG. Part of the problem is that the astronauts aren't the celebrities they used to be. When that program first started, they were looked on as heroes and people flocked to see them.

Now overpaid athletes and entertainers generate more excitement in the young people. IMO, they need some heavy duty PR programs out there so the average American (i.e. taxpayer) identifies with astronauts.