NASA puts a hold on additional shuttle tank modifications
Posted: Sat, Apr 29, 2006, 10:31 AM ET (1431 GMT)
Shuttle managers announced Friday that they have decided to leave in place a number of foam ramps on the shuttle's external tank, deciding that the risks associated with making additional changes to the tank outweighed the risk of foam falling off the ramps. The "ice/frost" ramps are located on pressurization line fittings on the tank and could be a source of some of the foam that has fallen off the tank during shuttle launches. While some within NASA argued that the ramps should be removed, NASA decided it would make "one change at a time" to the tank, with the focus on the removal of much larger PAL foam ramps on the tank. Engineers are still working on an aerodynamic analysis of the tank without the ramps. A decision on whether or not to remove the ramps is not expected before a flight readiness review on June 16. Discovery is still scheduled for launch on mission STS-121 during a launch window that opens July 1.
Shuttle managers announced Friday that they have decided to leave in place a number of foam ramps on the shuttle's external tank, deciding that the risks associated with making additional changes to the tank outweighed the risk of foam falling off the ramps. The "ice/frost" ramps are located on pressurization line fittings on the tank and could be a source of some of the foam that has fallen off the tank during shuttle launches. While some within NASA argued that the ramps should be removed, NASA decided it would make "one change at a time" to the tank, with the focus on the removal of much larger PAL foam ramps on the tank. Engineers are still working on an aerodynamic analysis of the tank without the ramps. A decision on whether or not to remove the ramps is not expected before a flight readiness review on June 16. Discovery is still scheduled for launch on mission STS-121 during a launch window that opens July 1.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, May 14
The young minds space-proofing ESA’s missions
ESA — 5:44 am ET (0944 GMT) FCC angers small carriers by helping AT&T and Starlink buy EchoStar spectrum
Ars Technica — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Huntsville City Council to consider $45 million investment for Space Command headquarters
WAFF-TV — 5:40 am ET (0940 GMT) Space Force Targeting 2027 Launch For Astroscale Refueling Demo
Aviation Week — 5:40 am ET (0940 GMT) Varda Space Industries and United Therapeutics Collaborate to Advance Microgravity-Enabled Treatments for Rare Pulmonary Disease
PR Newswire — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) |
