The space agency was expected to fall short on its safety checklist, but Discovery will fly anyway.
Out of the fifteen recommendations made by the Stafford-Covey Task Group in the wake of the Columbia disaster, it was expected that NASA probably would not meet the final three. Despite the final findings of the panel, most expect NASA to move forward with plans for a July launch of the Discovery shuttle.
Those on the panel who spoke at a public meeting in Washington praised NASA’s efforts and reiterated that their determinations did not mean the shuttle was not safe. “From an operational readiness to fly, the data they presented to us so far says it’s safe to fly,” said panel member Joseph Cuzzupoli.
One of the unresolved issues, inspecting and making emergency repairs to the widest possible range of damage, will be tested during Discovery’s mission. Astronauts have five methods of repairing damage from debris to test.
“We found that NASA fell short of meeting that recommendation, although they had put forth a yeoman’s effort in coming up with all of the options they could conceive of,” said panel member Jim Adamson.
The panel also found that NASA has not completely eliminated the possibility of foam or ice debris falling from the external tank. Last week, a NASA review of debris risks found that while they did exist, they were acceptable.
NASA’s engineers have made strides toward minimizing the potential of ice debris. One spot on the external tank where liquid oxygen passes through was fitted with a heater to prevent ice from building up there.
“You have to look at the progress that has been made,” group chairman Richard Covey said at a news conference. “Is it a miss if you’re at 95 percent? We haven’t seen anything that says that [there is] any danger to the vehicle.”
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
