We just had a telephone press conference with NASA medical folks and Bill
Gerstenmeier. I started sympathetic to the decision to go, with the proviso
of heightened alertness to potential contamination. By the end of the hour,
when I asked a tough question about when do they decide to pack it in and
come home, based on what criteria indicating contamination approaching
dangerous levels, I got blah-blah about 'experienced astronauts' who could
judge for themselves how safe the station was -- as if it was going to be
left up to the flight crew to decide. A doctor said they would watch for
"the level of symptomology when it begins to impact performance" -- that is,
when it's so bad the crew can't stand it any more. I was appalled and
dismayed. There doesn't appear to be ANY real medical plan of how to detect
contamination levels based on crew medical symptoms (sense of smell/taste,
headache, itchiness, vision problems, breathing difficulties, etc. -- they
just rely on the 'medical judgment' of the Flight Surgeon -- who is often a
future astronaut-wannabe) or use such detection to make the choice to shut
down the station. I am a lot more worried about the decision now, than I was
an hour ago.

JimO



wrote in message
m...
Sorry, I'm trying to do 'net research and paint the house at the same
time:
Which documents? I see the readiness reviews:
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10741
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10740 (hmmm---Bonnie Dunbar
still has a job?)

The Washington Post story cites a number of complaints, including
defective
or inoperable environmental monitoring equipment, a defribillator which
might explode if used, etc.---the consequences of "extremely limited
resupply". As a result:

" TWO OFFICIALS responsible for health and environmental conditions on
the
space station refused to approve the launch of the new crew, instead
signing
a dissent that warned about "the continued degradation" of the
environmental
monitoring and health maintenance systems and exercise equipment vital to
the astronauts' well-being."

JJ Robinson II
Houston, TX
****************
* JOKE *
****************
* SERIOUS *
****************
* SARCASTIC *
****************
* OTHER? *
****************

"James Oberg" wrote in message
...

Hold onto your hats.

Be sure you are sitting down.

I've looked at the documents (see www.nasawatch.com) and the
countermeasures, and the hazard predictions, and it seems to me that the
process worked like I wish it had pre-Feb-1.
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