NASA Rolls Out Improved Rocket Fuel Tank in Major Step Toward Return to Space

The Associated Press ^ | 12-28-04 | Paul Recer

[BenLurkin]

Ping

[Preech1]

Kerry's newest investment since losing the election...

[Steely Tom]

That d*mn fuel tank costs fourty million dollars! Good Grief!

(steely)

[RadioAstronomer]

Glad it is done.

[1Old Pro]

this money can be spent to reimburse descendents of slavery?

You've got to be kidding. Clearly we need to spend more on public schools (teachers).

[Yo-Yo]

Problems with foam shedding began when NASA decided to stop painting the ET white in order to save several hundred pounds.

Start painting the damn thing again, seal the foam from being soaked with every rain.

[Rudder]

How about putting insulation on the interior surfaces?

[GarySpFc]

Your prayers have been answered. One of my clients headed up the external fuel tank team when the shuttle was first developed. They had to hire minorities for each project, and then had to create fool proof tools to make certain said minorities did not make a mistake. The cost of the shuttle and related equipment is due to the high cost of these tools.

[demlosers]

That d*mn fuel tank costs fourty million dollars! Good Grief!

Is that all?

A shuttle launch costs about 500 million dollars.

[Calvin Locke]

"We can never completely eliminate foam coming off the tank,"

Chicken wire might help. Not sure what weight it would add.

Maybe a plastic mesh?

[Calvin Locke]

foam shedding began when NASA decided to stop painting the ET white in order to save several
hundred pounds.

I thought Algor made them switch to an "enviromentally friendly" foam produced by a campaign donor?

I did not know (or forgot) that they stopped painting it.

Perhaps a partial painting in key areas.

[Yo-Yo]

From Space.com

"Originally, the ET was covered with a layer of white protective paint, however after the first two test flights this largely cosmetic cover was abandoned to save weight. During the sixth flight of the program, which was also an inaugural mission of Space Shuttle Challenger, a new lightweight version of the tank was introduced."

[Sonar5]

It's about time, after how many Missions where this problem occured, and they were aware of it.

Michoud should have benn put out of business, and a new contract drawn up for someone else.

Anyone remember my posts from back then??

Regards,
Joe

[Calvin Locke]

...this largely cosmetic cover was abandoned to save weight.

Yeah, and I remember a NASA guy bragging about in-orbit tile repair kits, after a bunch of tiles fell off.

Provisioning of that kit was abandoned to save weight.

But plenty of weight allowances and space available to over-staff culturally marxist crews,
selected politicians, etc.

So much for safety.

At least NASA abandoned the "Journalist in Space" idea.

[Hu Gadarn]

Since when has NASA been anything other than a bunch of bean counting accountants...... If it weren't for NASA we would have bases on the moon. It was a NASA bureaucrat that caused the first shuttle disaster by ordering a go AGAINST the recommendations of the engineers who designed and built it

[ibtheman]

You think that is extreme, the cost for the new gas can, and the cost of a launch! Go do some research and look into the pollution one lanuch from this rocket motor. You would be totally devasted of the amount of the pollution this thing emits! Sadily nobody wants to talk about the chemicals this thing is doing to the air we brethe!

[Red6]

No! The endowment for the arts!

Red6

[Willie Green]

That d*mn fuel tank costs fourty million dollars! Good Grief!

Anybody know when they plan to start using those Maglev launchers so they can do away with the fuel tanks altogether???