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NASA Finds Critical Assembly Fault in Shuttle

Posted by michael on from the lucked-out dept.

mzs writes "During corrosion inspection on Discovery, technicians noticed that one of the gears in a rudder actuator had been installed backwards. This particular actuator was the top-most of four that control the air brakes on the tail. As luck turns out, if it had been the bottom-most actuator, loss of the shuttle and crew would have been nearly inevitable. Plans are in place to have four spares by the time Shuttle missions resume next year."

3 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. Suggestion for specfications on new part by drinkypoo · · Score: 0, Redundant

    An arrow with the legend "THIS END UP"

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Related article on CNN by Aerion · · Score: 0, Redundant

    In a CNN article (well, actually Reuters) on the same subject, it is mentioned that one of the spare actuators NASA has on hand also has the gears reversed.

    That article also says that this would have caused serious problems had an "emergency landing" ever been necessary, even though the actuator wasn't in the bottom position.

  3. Spare whats? by Ktistec+Machine · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Plans are in place to have four spares by the time Shuttle missions resume next year.

    Spare whats? Gears? Shuttles? Crew members?

    Oh yeah. I'm supposed to read the story.