NASA cancels all future space flights
Evidently NASA has canceled all future space flights because of a similar problem with the outer tiles that protect the Shuttle during re-entry. It seems that the same problem has occurred with the Shuttle that is currently in space, and are unsure of it's ability to re-enter. I cannot find anything on the web yet. Has anyone heard if this means just the flights that are currently planned, or if it means that they are possibly canceling the space program all together?
From the little bit they are saying, it just sounds like they are not going to fly any more missions until they are sure this will never happen again.
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Just the Shuttle fleet..
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050728/325/focqb.html
Quote:
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Astronauts prepared to dock the shuttle Discovery with the International Space Station on Thursday in what may be the last visit for some time after NASA again grounded its problem-plagued shuttle fleet.
The two spacecraft were scheduled to hook up for a week while the Discovery crew makes space-station repairs and brings food and supplies to the two-man station crew.
What was supposed to have been the shuttle's triumphant return to the space station for the first time since November 2002 was overshadowed by NASA's decision on Thursday that it is still not safe to fly.
The U.S. space agency said flying debris captured on video at Tuesday's launch was remindful of what brought down Columbia on February 1, 2003, and showed that the debris problem was not fixed after 2 1/2 years of work and more than $1 billion in expenditures to improve safety.
Images showed at least three areas on Discovery's external fuel tank where chunks of insulation foam came off, including one almost as big as the piece that struck Columbia.
The foam was not believed to have hit Discovery, but its existence meant it was back to the drawing boards for NASA, said shuttle program manager Bill Parsons.
"Until we're ready, we won't fly again," he said. "I don't know when that might be."
Tuesday's Discovery launch was the first shuttle mission since the three-shuttle fleet was grounded after Columbia.
A 1.67 pound (0.75-kg) piece of insulating foam from Columbia's external fuel tank broke loose at launch on January 16, 2003, and struck the left wing, causing a hole in the heat shield that doomed the shuttle during re-entry 16 days later.
As Colombia glided toward Florida, superheated gases from the earth's atmosphere entered the breach and caused the orbiter to disintegrate over Texas, killing its seven astronauts.
TROUBLING NICKS
Discovery has some troubling nicks in protective tiles on its belly, but deputy shuttle program director Wayne Hale said they are not believed to be a threat to the spacecraft.
"The good news is that the orbiter Discovery appears to be in good shape," he said.
Discovery's crew was supposed to take haven in the space station and await rescue by shuttle Atlantis if the orbiter was damaged beyond repair at launch,
Hale said the chances of that being needed were "remote." Parsons said if it did come to pass, NASA would have to make the "hard decision" to send Atlantis up.
NASA has more safety examinations of Discovery scheduled in the 12-day mission, including one just before the space station docking.
In a maneuver planned before launch, shuttle commander Eileen Collins will steer Discovery into a slow back flip 600 feet (182 meters) below the space station while station crewmembers Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips snap pictures using telephoto lenses.
Another extended suspension of flights will be a big blow to the still-unfinished space station, a $95 billion project which depends on the shuttle to ferry in the modules used to piece the international project together.
Since Columbia, Russian spacecraft have been used to change crewmembers and bring supplies, but construction has come to a halt.
Discovery will deliver 15 million tons of supplies ranging from food to light bulbs to new laptop computers and will bring back junk from the station.
Shuttle astronauts Steve Robinson and Japan's Soichi Noguchi will perform three spacewalks, during which they will replace and repair balky gyroscopes that keep the space station stable and attach an external platform to be used for storage.
They will also test still-experimental techniques to repair damage to the shuttle exterior.
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Good. They need to focus on home shit first before getting to space.
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Bush isnt keen on the shuttles anyway, he wants them to concentrate on manned missions to the Moon and Mars... wtf for?
Doesnt the madman know its a lot easier to get to the Moon and Mars if you start from a Space Station.. which can realisticaly only be built with the shuttles? :blink:
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rat Faced
Bush isnt keen on the shuttles anyway, he wants them to concentrate on manned missions to the Moon and Mars... wtf for?
Doesnt the madman know its a lot easier to get to the Moon and Mars if you start from a Space Station.. which can realisticaly only be built with the shuttles? :blink:
It's about time someone actually did land on the Moon instead of just faking it all.
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Quote:
Originally Posted by MCHeshPants420
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rat Faced
Bush isnt keen on the shuttles anyway, he wants them to concentrate on manned missions to the Moon and Mars... wtf for?
Doesnt the madman know its a lot easier to get to the Moon and Mars if you start from a Space Station.. which can realisticaly only be built with the shuttles? :blink:
It's about time someone actually did land on the Moon instead of just faking it all.
If you do the research you will find your statment false
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Oh well, the three remaining space shuttles are now safely back on the ground. :)
Who knows when we'll next see one fly again, if ever? :(
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
what about the kids left in space?
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Russians'll bring them back in a modified tin bath.
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barbarossa
Russians'll bring them back in a modified tin bath.
So they can't make anything sea worthy, and we can't make anything space worthy :lol:
Glad they made it back safely :)
Re: NASA cancels all future space flights
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rat Faced
Bush isnt keen on the shuttles anyway, he wants them to concentrate on manned missions to the Moon and Mars... wtf for?
Doesnt the madman know its a lot easier to get to the Moon and Mars if you start from a Space Station.. which can realisticaly only be built with the shuttles? :blink:
Probably because "they" think that there is a little water on the moon...and from a station on the moon it would be much easier place to go to..erm... the Earth? :blink:
