O'Keefe: shuttle flights could resume this year
Posted: Wed, Apr 9, 2003, 11:21 PM ET (0321 GMT)
NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe said Tuesday that he believes the space shuttle could return to flight by the end of this year. O'Keefe, speaking at a hearing of a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, said that his "fondest expectation" is that shuttle flights will resume by the fall, barring any "showstoppers on the hardware end." NASA officials had previously said that they are making preparations to have the shuttle ready to return to flight by the fall, but have yet to set any specific date. That will depend on the conclusions reached by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which will publish its final report by June, and what additional work will be required to carry out the board's recommendations. A NASA schedule of future shuttle flights, published by SpaceRef.com, shows that NASA has scheduled the first post-Columbia shuttle mission, STS-114, for not earlier than October 1 of this year.
NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe said Tuesday that he believes the space shuttle could return to flight by the end of this year. O'Keefe, speaking at a hearing of a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, said that his "fondest expectation" is that shuttle flights will resume by the fall, barring any "showstoppers on the hardware end." NASA officials had previously said that they are making preparations to have the shuttle ready to return to flight by the fall, but have yet to set any specific date. That will depend on the conclusions reached by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which will publish its final report by June, and what additional work will be required to carry out the board's recommendations. A NASA schedule of future shuttle flights, published by SpaceRef.com, shows that NASA has scheduled the first post-Columbia shuttle mission, STS-114, for not earlier than October 1 of this year.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, April 24
2026 first quarter: Future Launchers Preparatory Programme highlights
ESA — 7:18 am ET (1118 GMT) Wednesday Night SpaceX Launch Successful from Vandenberg
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 7:17 am ET (1117 GMT) Space Force Budget Cuts SDA’s Data Transport Funding
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 7:16 am ET (1116 GMT) ‘No longer theoretical’: Golden Dome czar touts first steps amid skepticism
Breaking Defense — 7:16 am ET (1116 GMT) Blue Origin’s Luxembourg launch went off without a hitch
Luxembourg Times — 7:13 am ET (1113 GMT) |
