SCI/TECH: NASA Postpones Discovery Launch, page 1

posted on Apr, 21 2005 @ 04:28 PM

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The U.S. space agency NASA has decided to delay the launch of the space shuttle Discovery by one week to allow for better preparation for the flight. The scheduled mission, STS-114, should launch sometime on or after May 22. Discovery's launch will be the first U.S. manned space mission after the tragic loss of the Columbia orbiter and its crew in February 2003.

space.com
NASA has pushed back the date for its first space shuttle launch since the Columbia tragedy, delaying the flight one week to allow more time to complete much-needed paperwork and analyses, the space agency said Wednesday.

The Discovery orbiter and its STS-114 crew will launch no-earlier than May 22, shuttle program manager Bill Parsons said during a teleconference with reporters.

Previously, NASA officials had set the opening of Discovery’s launch window at May 15.

“The May 15 launch date was just a target and we always knew that we would have to revisit it,” Parsons said, adding that the shuttle will be launched when it is ready and not on a deadline.

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There's absolutely no reason to rush this, safety must come first. I will be happy to see the launch occur though. Hopefully the new fuel tank design will prevent another Columbia disaster.

MickeyDee

posted on Apr, 21 2005 @ 04:36 PM

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There's absolutely no reason to rush this, safety must come first.

Agreed!

BUT if NASA was putting safety first Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour would be in their hangers and would be staying their until either a suitable museum or antique collector bought them!

How many more tragic losses will it take before they are retired???

JoeDoaks

posted on Apr, 21 2005 @ 04:51 PM

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Bump for Mickey

NASA has proven, over and over again, that someone else should be in charge of space craft.

From myopic Hubble to Mars rovers using the wrong meaurements to Tether that launced untested, it's history is strewn with expensive mistakes.

Safety has never been a priority at NASA and I can't see it being one now.

djohnsto77

posted on Apr, 21 2005 @ 09:33 PM

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I agree that the space shuttle system is outdated, but it can't be replaced overnight. We do need to intensify research into a new launch vehicle, but can't abandon the shuttle yet.

malcr

posted on Apr, 22 2005 @ 06:57 AM

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NASA is nothing more than front for the press to distract from the real space work done by the military, hence NASA's poor technological record. Are you asking me to believe that whilst the Russians and Chinese were in space for the last couple of years that the US military sat there patiently waiting for the shuttle to be repaired........please........no way in hell. So the only logical conclusion is ?

sardion2000

posted on Apr, 22 2005 @ 07:09 AM

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JoeDoaks, ever seen the Russian record? Not pretty at all either. Space Exploration isn't easy, and the road to the moon was littered with failures one of which cost the lives of 3 budding Astronaughts. Personally I think the Private Sector needs more involvement in NASA one way or another.

Astronomer68

posted on Apr, 23 2005 @ 06:01 PM

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Hopefully the new fuel tank design will prevent another Columbia disaster.

Astronomer68

posted on Apr, 23 2005 @ 06:04 PM

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Originally posted by Astronomer68
Hopefully the new fuel tank design will prevent another Columbia disaster.

That sounds like a quote from a govt engineer -- Hopefully? Good engineering would absolutely insure the fuel tank could not contribute to a new disaster. Your think you have problems now, wait till the govt solves them for you.