Sat, Apr 30, 2005
Much Still To Do
NASA announced Friday that July 13 to 31 is the new
launch-planning window for the Space Shuttle Discovery mission. The
new window gives the agency time to do additional work to ensure a
safe Return to Flight for Discovery and its crew.
Friday's announcement followed a number of meetings over the
past two weeks. Managers said they need to validate engineering
analyses of potential debris hazards and to make additional
modifications to the external fuel tank. NASA officials and program
managers agreed to delay the launch late Thursday
"The conclusion out of the reviews… when all of the
managers and all of the engineers had had their say was that we had
enough work remaining to do, that trying to go in May or early June
just wasn't the smartest thing," said NASA Administrator Michael
Griffin at a news conference at NASA Headquarters.
"This is consistent with our overall approach to the STS-114
mission, which is that we're going to return to flight, we're not
going to rush to flight," said Griffin. "Our intent with this
effort is to make certain we are as safe as we know how to be
before we launch the Space Shuttle and its crew. We want it to be
right."
"From the beginning we've been milestone-driven," said William
Readdy, NASA associate administrator for Space Operations. "This
time, the milestones on debris and ice analyses, propulsion system
troubleshooting and External Tank modifications drove us to
retarget for July. We've never been reluctant to adjust the dates
as information becomes available."
STS-114 will take Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins and six crew
members to the International Space Station. They will test new
thermal protection system inspection and repair techniques along
with delivering needed supplies and equipment to the ISS.
In a message to NASA workers, Griffin said. "Flying this Shuttle
brings with it great risk, risk that cannot be eliminated. No
decision to launch the Shuttle can be routine. Sending brave men
and women into space is not without risk, but we will do everything
possible to reduce those risks. If it takes more time to achieve
that goal, then so be it. I thank each of you for your hard work
and dedication to NASA."
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