Shuttle's Historic Return To Flight Launch Scrubbed (moved from ATSNN)

The live webcast from NASA-TV has indicated that the launch scheduled for 7/13/05 will be scrubbed as a result of a system failure which provided a faulty fuel level reading. At this point there is no indication as to when the launch will be rescheduled as the severity of the issue is still in question. Currently the astronauts are in the process of de-boarding the craft.



It is good to see that NASA is taking a safe approach to this launch. Though there are redundant systems which cover the faulty sensor, the determination has been made to scrub the launch since it would not be entirely safe to launch while the shuttle is in a position where it is missing some form of redundancy. There is the possiblity of replacing the sensor and launching tomorrow, but whether that will occur will not be certain until technicians can inspect the sensor to determine if it can be easily replaced.

[edit on 13-7-2005 by chaosrain]

better safe than sorry...but, is this the nail being set up to put in the coffin of what is know as NASA?

I think it's difficult to jump to the conclusion that the loss of a sensor would lead to the downfall of NASA. Especially in light of the massive efforts to increase safety and change the management culture at NASA. I do believe that the bloated federal agency called NASA is a dinosaur, but it took quite a shot to knock them off the top of the food chain. It will take a similar shot to cause the entirety of the country to lose all faith in NASA.

I think it's more likely that privitization of space travel will slowly erode at the mission tasking of NASA and render it irrelevant. That's still over 20 years away, though. For now, you need massive government funding to accomplish big tasks in space. Private industry cannot take the sorts of gambles with Other People's Money that the government can.