In 2003 the Columbia space shuttle exploded on its way into orbit…

2 years later, after millions of dollars and thousands of man hours, the next shuttle is finally being cleared for launch.

My big question is was it realy worth 2 years and billions of dollars to fix a problem that was consdiered a one off accident???

I mean if one car blows up and kills 7 people, there is no way that there would have been that much money or time wasted… so how can they justify this on the basis that its a rocket.

Astronauts accept the risk when they take on the job. Prehaps the money would have been better spent researching things that would save more than a handfull of lives – like cancer, or making a pen that you cant choke on…?