July 29, 2005

Maybe a Shuttle Launch in 2005

Writing has taking my mind off current, personal events. I think of weblogging as comfort food for my mind. I'm going to pound on that dying horse that is the space shuttle program.

Today, NASA chief Michael Griffin said he really, really wanted to have another launch in 2005. That will depend on getting the foam on the main fuel tank fixed in time for the small launch windows in the fall. This is how risk-adverse NASA is now:

The launch windows later this year are very limited, however. The first is Sept. 9-24, and the second is a couple of days in November. That is based on the Earth's orbit and the hours of daylight a shuttle could be launched so it could be photographed to watch for problems.

Unless all eyes are glued to the shuttle to watch for flying foam they won't launch. Spectacular nigh time launches have been nixed. Safety is now the #1 concern. It's not about how much the mission could advance science and technology. If NASA engineers and big wigs find something slightly wrong a launch will be ditched. This isn't the same NASA that survived the accidents of Apollo 1 (who's investigation commission completed its work in only two months) and Apollo 13. NASA's new unofficial motto is "any failure is unacceptable." The agency is a ghost of its hallowed past.

"NASA: Another Shuttle Could Launch Soon"

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