Titan IV is launched

It won't take long, did it?

A series of technical issues had delayed the launch since late 2001.Originally, the rocket had been set to lift off from Vandenberg, but the launch was moved to the Cape two years ago.

I just went outside and sounded the all clear.

Come on, fess up.

There was never any danger. The chances that the booster was going to land on the platform were about the same, probably less than the chance a meteorite might strike it at any time. Only difference is that a meteorite could STILL hit it.

I hope they didn't throw a lot of money away by evacuating. If they did there should be ocnsequences for the hysterical politicians who whipped this up.

The chances were very slim.

I questioned the "drop zone" were it was within 25? km of the oil rig and the missile was thousands of miles away.

25/3000 or 4000( or whatever) is a very small margin.

I knew they had a method to destroy the rocket but the spent booster rocket that is tumbling to earth after it is empty is "out of control" and there is no way to guide this.

I don't think they even bother to recover this object and just let it sink.

There's no reason to do so.

You have to realize that ballistics are very well inderstood. Saying the the object was "out of control" is irrelevant. It can only land in a certain place within parameters determined by things like wind force. The laws of physics dictate that it's not going to just splat down any old place.

25 km (which was as close as it could get theoretically) is plenty of space.

This was a case of political and media hysteria pure and simple.