Space News Roundup

ke4roh writes "NASA reports that they're readying Atlantis for a launch "no earlier than October 2". STS-112, space station assembly flight 9A (the 15th) will add to the truss on the station. To get the station from the vehicle assembly building to the launch pad, they transport it in launch position - on one of the 37-year-old crawlers that travels at just 1 mile per hour. Each 6 million pound vehicle transports a big rectangle - the Mobile Launch Platform - to the launch pad. The crawler is 40 by 37 meters, has two steering wheels and two mufflers the size of a car. The crawlers have received minimal service to date, and an inspector noticed a cracked bearing shortly before a crawler took Atlantis out for the launch. A few folks are enjoying the opportunity to work on the crawlers before they make their journey. Will N-Sync's 23-year-old singer Lance Bass be space tourist number three - and the youngest person to ever fly in space? Corporate sponsors get to decide. Telescopes show Contour, short for "Comet Nucleus Tour", in three pieces. Unfortunately, it's only supposed to be one. The craft was to visit three comets to investigate their contents. They're murmuring about a replacement which would cost about $15M less (than the $154M price tag) thanks to much of the engineering being done already. The AP has more."

Comments

Lance Bass might be good for NASA.

[GOD_ALMIGHTY]

As much as I dislike N'Sync or the majority of teen pop culture, this could be really good for NASA. Think about it, he's getting corporate sponsers, this will garauntee lots of promotions for his trip. He'll be on MTV and various ABC^H^H^HDisney shows talking about this to teeny boppers all over the country. He could get kids at least thinking about space, even if it is superficial. The buzz should help NASA with PR involving the voting public to some extent.

Of course I'll be simmering with jealousy and choking on the cheapening of the Space Industry to accomodate this kid, but if it helps NASA, I can deal with it.