NASA Rescue Plan Is Reported to Have High Risk of Failure

[PfcHammer]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/national/nationalspecial/09station.html

NASA Rescue Plan Is Reported to Have High Risk of Failure
By JOHN SCHWARTZ
Published: July 9, 2004

NASA's emergency plan to use the International Space Station as a safe haven for shuttle astronauts whose craft cannot safely return to earth would carry a high risk of failure if it were ever tried, according to internal space agency documents.

The documents say the space station lacks adequate support systems and supplies to assure that its own occupants and a shuttle crew could stay alive for more than a few months at best and a few weeks at worst - not enough time, under many possible situations outlined in the documents, to carry off a rescue plan.

While some of the astronauts could return to earth on the Russian Soyuz craft, which is docked at the space station, it is far from certain that they could all be rescued.

In a sense, the information in the new documents simply underscores what the nation has always known about spaceflight but tragically relearns from time to time: It is a risky business. The documents, which have not been made public, were presented on June 9 to NASA officials in charge of spaceflight and safety as part of the effort to return the shuttle fleet to space by next spring. They were given to The New York Times by senior NASA employees who say that the current state of agency planning puts astronauts and the space program at undue risk.

[daleo]

1. It is odd that Bush cares so much about the risk to astronauts in space

But so little about the risk to National Guard members in Iraq.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

2. Forget NASA...

Give the contract to Burt Rutan! Not only will they be safer, but the astronauts could ride in style!