New shuttle external tank ready
Posted: Wed, Dec 29, 2004, 9:09 AM ET (1409 GMT)
The first space shuttle external tank that incorporates improvements to avoid the foam shedding that doomed the shuttle Columbia is ready to ship to Florida, NASA announced Tuesday. The tank, designated ET-120, will leave the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Friday, arriving by barge in Florida several days later. The tank features a number of safety improvements to prevent the tanks insulating foam from shedding during flight. A chunk of foam fell off a bipod strut on the tank during the launch of STS-107, striking and damaging a panel on the leading edge of Columbia's left wing; hot gas entered through the damaged panel during reentry, leading to the destruction of the orbiter. The improved tank has no foam on the bipod ramps, and also carried cameras to allow engineers to observe the tank's exterior during flight.
The first space shuttle external tank that incorporates improvements to avoid the foam shedding that doomed the shuttle Columbia is ready to ship to Florida, NASA announced Tuesday. The tank, designated ET-120, will leave the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Friday, arriving by barge in Florida several days later. The tank features a number of safety improvements to prevent the tanks insulating foam from shedding during flight. A chunk of foam fell off a bipod strut on the tank during the launch of STS-107, striking and damaging a panel on the leading edge of Columbia's left wing; hot gas entered through the damaged panel during reentry, leading to the destruction of the orbiter. The improved tank has no foam on the bipod ramps, and also carried cameras to allow engineers to observe the tank's exterior during flight.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force adds Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to NSSL contract
Posted: Sun, Mar 30 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, April 2
Europe’s Launcher Revival Faces Challenging Start
Aviation Week — 5:18 am ET (0918 GMT) Space Force picks Northrop for ‘Elixir’ satellite refueling demo
Defense News — 5:17 am ET (0917 GMT) Gwynne Shotwell Rides SpaceX To Billion-Dollar Fortune
Forbes.com — 5:15 am ET (0915 GMT) SpaceX Puts Humans in Orbit Over Earth’s Poles for the First Time
New York Times — 5:13 am ET (0913 GMT) FAA closes investigation of January SpaceX Starship explosion
KTBC-TV Austin, TX — 5:11 am ET (0911 GMT) |
