Dear NASA,

Two massive space disasters and a flight of astronauts sweating it out upstairs, hoping their craft doesn't come apart on re-entry. Glad you've finally sorted out that it might be a good idea to overhaul shuttle design and ground all flights until you can convince people that mechanical problems really are a good reason for launch delay figure out why things keep blowing up.

Seriously. The 100 launches that these things were supposed to be able to handle seems a bit optimistic when you consider the stress they undergo when entering and exiting the atmosphere. These crafts were manufactured more than twenty years ago. Discovery has flown 30 missions, two more than Columbia had when it went all splody. For heaven's sake, bite the bullet and spend money on a new one. I'm sich of watching you kill off my childhood one mechanical failure at a time in the name of "budget." Here's a thought: fewer flights, more precautions. Juggle those priorities and use the fact that Shrub has decided the space program is just the type of bread and circuses we need to re-establish a program that inspires awe rather than anxiety.

Just sayin'.

Love,
CJ