A Rush to Judge the Pilots
This morning comes statements of FACTS from the NTSB about the breakup of SpaceShip Two over the Mojave Desert. It appears from the FACTS that the fuel and engine were recovered intact, and were apparently not the problem that caused the breakup. The FACTS show that the feathers deployed at the wrong time (whether by design, accident, or human error remains to be seen).
Those are the FACTS.
There was nothing said about the pilots being the cause of the mishap. Nothing. Yet, the MSM and trendy commentators are rushing to judgment.
All other policy discussions about space travel for the rich, caviar for the rich, the end of space flight as we know it are not part of the FACTS. The FACTS, as all of us who do/did science and write about should remain focused on at this stage of an investigation.
Judging by the shrill and judgmental voices from such outlets as Wired, etc., and this morning’s leap to judgment by the mainstream media about who might be at “fault”, it’s never too early after someone lost their life in an aviation accident to start pointing hopelessly hip fingers of blame at various sources. It sure beats reporting the facts, doesn’t it? (She asked ironically).
Anyway, the facts are slowly coming to light, the investigation is proceeding as it should. Those who are interested in the facts and how they will relate to future aerospace designs will be interested in learning more. Everybody else will have to sustain themselves on the thin gruel of faux outrage.
The investigation is proceeding as it should. I wish the Swift Boat media would take a collective breath and let it happen before its more excitable “journalists” rush to judgment.