3 ms·

> If human spaceflight had the same number of annual fatalities as the current number deaths in the US 48 states while flying homebuilt/kit/light sport aircraft

> If human spaceflight had the same number of annual fatalities as the current number deaths in the US 48 states while flying homebuilt/kit/light sport aircraft, both NASA and the news media would be freaking out. What a nonsensical statement. If light sport aircraft had as many fatalities as the current number of deaths in the US 48 states while driving/walking/biking, both the FAA and the news media would be freaking out. And, as pointed out, spaceflight is actually significantly more dangerous than light sport aircraft, so I'm not so sure that the "standard of safety [...] seems to be much, much higher than the FAA's."

walrus01 8y ago
It's supposed to be a nonsensical statement: I guess what I was trying to say is that we have come to culturally "accept" a certain number of fatalities each year in commonplace activities, like walking down the street, using a bathtub, driving a car, etc. These are not remarked upon outside of local news. Three people die in an experimental category airplane crash, makes the local news. If three people were to die in a spacecraft accident, national media would freak the fuck out.
- forapurpose 8y ago
  > we have come to culturally "accept" a certain number of fatalities each year in commonplace activities, like walking down the street, using a bathtub, driving a car, etc. I disagree; there are ongoing, successful efforts to make driving, walking down the street (see Vision Zero for example), and many more activities safer. We haven't accepted the risk levels at all.
  - jdminhbg 8y ago
    > I disagree; there are ongoing, successful efforts to make driving, walking down the street (see Vision Zero for example), and many more activities safer. We haven't accepted the risk levels at all. But the existence of awareness campaigns proves the point: Someone has to connect the dots on the statistics and then advocate to get people to care. Nobody needs to advocate for more coverage of spacefaring fatalities.
    - forapurpose 8y ago
      > awareness campaigns These aren't campaigns to build awareness, but to change laws, training, etc. > Someone has to connect the dots on the statistics and then advocate to get people to care People need to know about something in order to care about it. I'm not sure what that means. > Nobody needs to advocate for more coverage of spacefaring fatalities. Right; those are sensational and get lots of coverage.

walrus01 8y ago

It's supposed to be a nonsensical statement: I guess what I was trying to say is that we have come to culturally "accept" a certain number of fatalities each year in commonplace activities, like walking down the street, using a bathtub, driving a car, etc. These are not remarked upon outside of local news. Three people die in an experimental category airplane crash, makes the local news. If three people were to die in a spacecraft accident, national media would freak the fuck out.

forapurpose 8y ago
> we have come to culturally "accept" a certain number of fatalities each year in commonplace activities, like walking down the street, using a bathtub, driving a car, etc. I disagree; there are ongoing, successful efforts to make driving, walking down the street (see Vision Zero for example), and many more activities safer. We haven't accepted the risk levels at all.
- jdminhbg 8y ago
  > I disagree; there are ongoing, successful efforts to make driving, walking down the street (see Vision Zero for example), and many more activities safer. We haven't accepted the risk levels at all. But the existence of awareness campaigns proves the point: Someone has to connect the dots on the statistics and then advocate to get people to care. Nobody needs to advocate for more coverage of spacefaring fatalities.
  - forapurpose 8y ago
    > awareness campaigns These aren't campaigns to build awareness, but to change laws, training, etc. > Someone has to connect the dots on the statistics and then advocate to get people to care People need to know about something in order to care about it. I'm not sure what that means. > Nobody needs to advocate for more coverage of spacefaring fatalities. Right; those are sensational and get lots of coverage.