Well yeah, they're in danger. THEY'RE IN SPACE. But I won't do that rant again.

While mass media focused on fuel sensors (Admittedly, I was guilty of that as well.), reader Neil Farbstein commented…

"Much has been said in public and in the press about the culture of incompetence that pervades NASA. Yesterday and today there were articles on the Internet saying that NASA was seriously considering launching the shuttle despite problems with the fuel sensors. After two shuttle explosions why would they even think about launching the shuttle against their own safety rules? After the Columbia exploded 200,000 feet above Texas I contacted NASA with a possible insulating foam material that is incapable of falling off the shuttle. They never answered my letters."

He's the president of Vulvox Nano/Biotechnology Corp.

A couple of things, Neil. There was a line in Men in Black that came to mind while visiting your site: "Oh. Hire a decorator to come in here quick, 'cause…Damn." You really need a real website. The information about you and your company seems legitimate, but NASA's not going to pay attention when a clerk goes to your website and discovers that it appears to be a set of Tripod member pages. Dude: You need your own professionally designed and written website with your own URL. Unfortunately, regardless of the legitimacy of your science and engineering capabilities, very few companies or investors will take you seriously when they see dating links on your webpage. Sorry, that's just the way it is. I offer my apologies in advance, Neil, if you do in fact have a more respectable website out there. If you do, let me know the URL so I can right the wrong.

Also, unless you're affiliated with Honeywell, Lockheed, Boeing, or Northrop—or have a few senators in your back pocket—I would imagine that becoming a NASA supplier is about as easy as growing a second head. Seriously. Perhaps other readers can comment from their own experiences in working with defense and aerospace contractors.

On a more Farbstein-positive note, his comment here was prophetic, as The Big News tonight included respected journalists running around in circles, cackling about the latest piece of insulating foam to dislodge from the Shuttle's external fuel tank. So far, a full day of study—by the crew and 200 experts around the world—indicates that Discovery was not damaged by the 'debris.' Nonetheless, many news sources are claiming that the sky is falling, with all using the Columbia disaster as a reference point, and one expert going so far as to mention the term 'rescue mission' on MSNBC. Yes, the new foam is the same as the old foam in that there were and are problems with both. Considering the known and greatly increased risk posed by detached insulating foam, grounding the Shuttle fleet was the right move. At this point, however, the astronauts seem perfectly safe. Well, as safe as they would be had the foam remained intact. (Have I mentioned that safety is a relative issue since THEY'RE IN SPACE.) One can't help thinking that the sensationalism is simply a smokescreen; a well-planned and media-executed distraction. From what? As a whacko roving liberal, I prefer to withhold comment for the moment.

On a brighter note, quite a few folks paid attention this time around. Through NASA's partnership with Yahoo!, for example, 433,000 people watched the launch via webcast. While this strikes me as a drop in the bucket in terms of viewership, that's more than twice the number of streams that AOL had for their peak of the Live 8 concerts. According to one source, the launch audience "…may have exceeded 500,000" when one considers unofficial webcasts. Engineers: 2, Musicians: 1. Nice.

In case you'd like more info, please check the following, and thanks for tuning in.

Fox News: NASA Grounds Future Shuttle Flights Over Foam Debris

CNN: NASA Grounds Shuttle Fleet

Spaceflight Now: Tank Foam Remains Threat to Shuttle in Worst-Case

Space.com: Multiple Pieces of Foam Fly in Shuttle Launch, Forcing Fleet Grounding

AP: NASA: No Flights Until Foam Issue Fixed

NASA: STS-114 MCC Status Report #03

Background References:

Nearly 433,000 Watch NASA Launch Webcast

Yahoo's Video Mission With NASA

NASA Says Shuttle Foam Problem is Resolved

Shuttle Tile Repair Kit

No New Shuttle Flight Unless Rescue Mission Can Be Guaranteed