NASA Delivers Findings on Shuttle Foam Flaws (Expensive Paperweight?)

AP ^ | 10/14/05 | AP

[drt1]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inadequate methods of applying and repairing foam on the space shuttle’s fuel tank probably contributed to the dangerous loss of a chunk of the insulation during Discovery’s launch two and a half months ago, a NASA investigation team concluded Friday.

So much work is needed to understand the problem and correct the deficiencies that shuttle flights are on hold until at least May, and possibly even next summer....

[drt1]

Man, it's taking them longer to figure out the already recognized, but ignored, foam problem. What an expensive mess IMO.

Another FR link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1493058/posts

[leadpenny]

At 8:43 this evening:

http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/schedule.csp

News Conference
Space Shuttle Program Update
NASA
Houston, Texas (United States)
ID: 189351 - 10/14/2005 - 0:55 - $29.95

Hale, Wayne, Deputy Manager, NASA, Shuttle Programs
Gerstenmaier, William, Associate Administrator, NASA, Operations

NASA managers brief media about the status of the Space Shuttle Program. The briefing includes an update about engineering teams studying why a large piece of external tank insulating foam broke off during Space Shuttle Discovery's liftoff in July, and the plans for the next shuttle mission, STS-121.

[PAR35]

engineering teams studying why a large piece of external tank insulating foam broke off during Space Shuttle Discovery's liftoff in July

Because they make it out of new, 'improved' environmentally friendly material. They could solve the problem tomorrow if they would go back to the old material and slap a coat of paint on it like they did in the 'good old days' when the shuttles were new.

[phatoldphart]

The moral:
Forget about the enviro-whakos.

Too bad falling debris didn't hit one....

[Joe Boucher]

Spending how much money on a landlocked space agency?
Get Burt Rutan a few billion and have a real space agency.

[drt1]

"Get Burt Rutan a few billion and have a real space agency."

Hear Hear. I've felt this way about NASA for at least 20 years. It sure has come a long way - The wrong way IMO.