WORLD NEWS THIS MORNING - ABC February 3, 2003
COST OF SHUTTLE FLIGHTS IS THE COST WORTH THE RISK?
ALINA CHO, ABC NEWS
(Off Camera) After extending condolences to the US, Russia went ahead with its launch of an unmanned cargo rocket to the international space station. It is set to dock tomorrow with a load of supplies for the three-man crew. Until now, the main transport vehicles for the space station have been NASA shuttles. But even before the disaster, there were questions about the cost of the flights and if the cost is worth the benefits. Here's ABC's Ned Potter. NED POTTER, ABC NEWS
(Voice Over) Shuttle flights cost three or $400 million. Old-fashioned rockets often cost less than a quarter as much. And now we have been reminded yet again of the danger.
JOHN PIKE, ABC NEWS CONSULTANT
There's simply no way that we can run a space program if every 50th mission is going to result in a loss of life and a loss of the orbiter.
NED POTTER
(Voice Over) But is that the end of it? NASA people point out that space travel has led to advances in medicine, technology, and basic science. CAT scans, mammograms, even smoke detectors, all kinds of technology have been pushed along by the space program. The Hubble telescope has probed the origins of the universe and would not do it without shuttle astronauts to keep it working.
MILT HEFLIN,
NASA CHIEF SHUTTLE FLIGHT DIRECTOR
When we have a bad day, we go fix it.
NED POTTER
(Voice Over) And over the years, polls have shown that Americans were in favor of the shuttle program. They often questioned the cost, but even after the Challenger tragedy, 83 percent said flights should continue.
GEORGE W. BUSH, US PRESIDENT
Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.
NED POTTER
(Voice Over) But after the shock of the tragedy wears off, there may be debate over that. Ned Potter, ABC News, New York.
Copyright © 2003, American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
