Despite Concerns, NASA Will Launch Shuttle As Scheduled

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: New York Times

By WARREN E. LEARY
Published: October 17, 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 — The space shuttle Discovery will launch on schedule next Tuesday even though questions remain about small defects on heat shield panels along its wings, NASA managers said Tuesday.

After an all-day meeting in which engineers debated technical issues that could affect the mission, managers decided to keep the shuttle’s Oct. 23 launching date for a mission that will take a key component to the International Space Station. N. Wayne Hale Jr., director of the space shuttle program, said there were still questions about the degrading of a coating on 3 of 44 panels on the leading edges of the Discovery’s wings. While not fully understood, Mr. Hale said, the problem appeared to be an acceptable risk.

Noting that the shuttle is an experimental vehicle that should never be considered completely safe to fly, Mr. Hale said managers who heard all the arguments voted to fly on schedule, although some had a few reservations. Mr. Hale said the decision was not made to keep the shuttle launching program on schedule, a criticism of the space agency that was voiced by investigators after the 2003 Columbia accident....

***

A group of engineers at NASA’s Engineering Safety Center, which was set up after the Columbia disaster to provide independent advice on safety issues, had recommended replacing three of the Discovery’s wing panels because a new test suggested that slight degradation of part of their surface could cause a panel to fail during a flight.

Mr. Hale said agency managers decided to proceed because of uncertainty about the meaning of the new test results and because shuttle crew members can now inspect and repair some heat shield damage during a mission. Replacing the panels would have required removing the Discovery from the launching pad, delaying its next flight by 60 days when there was no certainty of a genuine problem, he said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/science/space/17shuttle.html

[CatholicEdHead]

1. "Acceptable risk"

That problem could get very heated, very quickly. :(

[catnhatnh]

2. And, depending which side of the revolver you are on...

...Russian Roulette can be an acceptable risk...

[Spinzonner]

3. The 'managers' haven't really learned anything since Challenger

[Ian David]

8. Richard Feynman must be spinning in his grave... like a big, angry Electron. n/t

[truthisfreedom]

4. NASA has to prove that they can make these kinds of decisions without being overly-cautious.

If the flight goes off without a hitch, it gets easier to justify ignoring a potential problem next time.

They don't have an infinite budget. If they had the Iraq War budget to work with, every heat-shield tile would be brand-spanking new.

And the old ones would go for $1000 each on eBay.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. "If they had the Iraq War budget to work with..." Good point! nt

[steve2470]

5. astonished

Oy vey. If something happens to this launch, they need to thoroughly dismantle NASA and build it from the ground up. With someone near the President with the authority to stop launches. I am in shock.

[Ian David]

7. Now that the Bush-appointed Young-Earth Creationists are running NASA, what can go wrong?

"No one could have anticipated the failing of the levees-- I mean heat shield."

[cornermouse]

9. They're taking too many chances.

Sooner or later its going to come back on them.

[BushOut06]

10. Is there ANYTHING that this administration can't fuck up?

Goddamn it, they're putting astronauts' lives in danger because they *think* the risk is acceptable? It's pretty easy for them to say, when they're not the ones putting their lives on the line.