NASA Chief: Shuttle Might Go Without Some Upgrades

[Up2Late]

(Wow, they have a Rocket Scientist as the Head of NASA. How quaint.)

NASA Chief: Shuttle Might Go Without Some Upgrades

Mon Apr 18, 2005 07:00 PM ET

By Deborah Zabarenko

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said on Monday he might consider letting the space shuttle return to flight even if an independent panel has not finally approved some safety improvements. Griffin, a rocket scientist who was confirmed by Congress last week to head the U.S. space agency, said NASA's managers will have the final say on whether shuttle Discovery lifts off during its scheduled launch window from May 15 to June 3.

Asked at his first news conference if he would allow Discovery to fly despite some reservations by the independent Stafford-Covey Commission, which monitors NASA progress on safety recommendations after the Columbia disaster, Griffin replied, "In concept, yes I would." "I cannot begin at this time to say under what specific conditions that NASA might elect to go ahead with the launch, given a disparity of opinion between various interested parties as to whether we should or shouldn't," Griffin said.

The answer will depend on technical details, and NASA managers will have the final say, he said. "Advisory groups advise. We need to take our advice very seriously ...," Griffin said. "But at the end of the day, the people wearing government and contractor badges charged with launching the vehicle will be the ones who are responsible and accountable for their actions."

(more at link above)

[daleo]

1. I hope there isn't another disaster.

I don't have a very good feeling about it though. These were all built at about the same time, and it has been my admittedly meager experience with cars that things built at about the same time tend to develop similar problems at about the same time.

[PartyPooper]

2. Rule no.1: Never buy a car (or a shuttle) that was "built"

on a Monday or a Friday. Or, you'll live (or die) to regret it.

:D

:hi:

[politicat]

3. which reminds me of my favorite space joke....

An astronaut in space was asked by a reporter, "How do you feel?"
"How would you feel," the astronout replied, "if you were stuck here, on top of 20,000 parts each one supplied by the lowest bidder?"

Will there be another accident? Sure, eventually. There were accidents when the Wright brothers were getting up and going too. We lost thousands of pilots over the first thirty years of powered flight. Space is no different. We will lose people and machines. That does not mean we must stop. It's actually rather insulting to our dead that we let their deaths make us less likely to fulfill their ambitions. We don't honor our pioneers enough.

Do we need a replacement for the shuttle? Yes. Preferably something that takes the knowledge we've gained from the shuttle and applies it. We know what works well on the Shuttle; we also know what was a terrible design, like the heat tiles. We could rework that today with better, cheaper materials.

We need the investment, both on a federal and private level. And we're not getting it. The fact is, we haven't had decent funding for space since the early 80s. If a message showed up on the face of the moon and we had to get there, we couldn't go. We don't have the technology anymore, and we're losing the knowledge. And if that doesn't make you sick....

/off soapbox. (Sorry, this is my pet hobby horse.... I was promised I could live on the moon as a small child by now, and I'm still waiting.)

[punpirate]

5. Well, since this thing is being prepped for launch now...

... that means they haven't implemented the changes recommended and they're going to go right ahead with a launch.

The first deaths in the space program occurred because someone went short on the costs of testing, insulation and fire systems. The first deaths in the shuttle program resulted from a design change in the shuttle in order to increase its payload and a failure to oversee a vendor that was more interested in profits than safety. The latest shuttle deaths occurred because a persistent problem which would have required considerable redesign costs to fix was ignored.

Every death in the space program is directly attributable to either penny-pinching on the part of administrators or demands from vendors or other interested parties (such as the military).

Deaths in the program are not an inevitability.

[politicat]

9. changes can be made during the prep for launch.

That being a huge process.

And as far as safety goes, I think there's just going to have to be an agreement to disagree between us. Spacecraft are hugely complex, and NASA is, too. In any system of such complexity, there will be problems or there will be no progress. We're only human.

I will agree with you on the penny pinching. There's something inherently wrong with the concept of using low-bid contractors for this kind of thing. As far as vendors are concerned, they don't have my confidence either. Unfortunately, we're stuck with them, since private industry doesn't see the point of getting off this rock. So far, program deaths can be attributed to human idiocy. That will not always be true, however.

[Festivito]

4. Anyone notice these shuttles kill only during RepubliCON administrations.

Too strange.

[Up2Late]

7. It because the RePukes always cut the budgets and hire their Buddy's

But they still want to stick to "the schedule."

I read that Sean O'Kieff (sp?) was a buddy of *, not necessarily qualified for the job.

[BadNews]

6. There is no way they would get me to ride that roman candle. NT/

[newyawker99]

10. Hi BadNews!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[tabasco]

8. The war machine needs that money.

No shuttle repairs, no Hubble telescope.

Bush is destroying everything good about this country to wage war for corporate profits. As long as Halliburton is making money, everything is OK!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. Charlie Camarda, one of the astronauts going on this next mission,

worked w/ my dad for years at NASA Langley and is a really nice guy. I hope to G-d everything goes well.

[tabasco]

12. Godspeed Charlie !

You're a real hero !

[Javaman]

13. A closed door meeting at NASA...

Various PH D's, assorted Brainiacs, Paper pushers and the new NASA chief go over a few last details before the shuttle launch...

NASA Chief: So, we are a go, correct?

PHD: Ummmm, suuuuuure...

NASA Chief: What is that supposed to mean?

Brainiac: (winces as he says it) Well, we had to cut some...corners...

NASA Chief: What? Cut corners?? What are you talking about?

Paper pusher: Well, the guys down in accounting told us we were going over budget...

NASA Chief: WHAT??? WHO SAID THAT?

PHD: (Turns to Brainiac) Murry. It was Murry right?

Brainiac: (nodding) Yeah, Murry. (pause) did you know his daughter was a finalist on American Ido...

NASA Chief: Are you finished!!! Get Murry up here now!!!

Almost as he was waiting outside the door for a que, Murry appears.

Murry: Yes, you called, sir?

NASA Chief: (slightly startled) Um, yes, well, what is this about being over budget...

Murry: (pulls out a clipboard) Yes, we had to cancel some of the upgrades to save money.

NASA Chief: Such as???

Murry: Escape hatch...

Paper pusher: Oh yeah, tough one, hated to see that one go...

PHD and brainiac nod in agreement

NASA Chief: (voice slowly rising) You canceled the only way for the astronauts to escape!!!!

Murry: (not phased) Sure, look at the last two...problems...escape hatches wouldn't have done a thing...

NASA Chief leaps across the table clamping his hands around Murrys neck.

Murry: Ack!! He's crazy! Help me!!

PHD, Brainiac and the paper pusher remain seated. NASA Chief goes medieval on Murry.

Murry: Help me!!! Don't just sit there!!

PHD: Sorry, you cut back on our HR, can't take a risk getting hurt on the job. Sorry.

The NASA Chief and Murry roll around the floor, knocking over various pieces of office furniture...

Brainiac: I could really go for some Thai, what about you guys?

Paper pusher: I had Thai yesterday, how about some Mongolian BBQ?

PH D: Yeah, let's go...

Murry: (squeals) Bring me something back!