Columbia Talk by Dr. Doug Osheroff at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Fermilab has a very good presentation about the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia on its website. It is given by Dr. Doug Osheroff, who was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. For me, it raises several questions about human space exploration.

• Why has NASA let three preventable failures claim the lives of 17 of its astronauts?
• Does placing humans in space offer scientific benefits that are worth the cost in money and the risk to lives?
• How much weight and creedence should be given to non-scientific arguments for putting humans in space?