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Shuttle To Fly Without Safety Revisions

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the gotta-get-up-there dept.

HaloZero writes "In the face of safety concerns, NASA has decided to proceed with launching the Space Shuttle Discovery in July without changes to the external fuel tank. The article states that even though Discovery's last launch shed a huge 1-pound chunk of potentially devastating foam, they're willing to wait to change the spec on the disposable tank. The changes would modify the Ice/Frost Ramp assemblies, which prevent a buildup of ice on fuel lines and cables (as a side effect, they also have a tendency to dislodge large chunks of insulation)."

7 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Proposal by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think Nasa should coat the entire shuttle and tanks with materials cold enough to not freeze during take off and with a hard enough shell to survive the heat of re-entry.

    Yes folks, I believe we should coat the tanks and shuttle body with politicians and lawyers.

    Before you deride my concept as mere rambling, consider that they are now running the show anyway so we might as well make them useful.

    I did a quick survey amongst the remaining engineers and technical folks at Nasa and they all consider my proposal double plus good.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:Proposal by hownowbrowncow · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wouldn't their incessant blabber drive the astronauts Nuts? A filibuster in space? Will the galactic federation council charge us with polluting space, if some of them politicians and lawyers break off during flight and drift into space? Gosh, the prime directive! We can't possibly risk them landing on a planet with intelligent life!

  2. Adopting the credo of Mexican bus companies by iminplaya · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Mejor muerto que tarde"

    --
    What?
  3. That's not the half of it! by dietrollemdefender · · Score: 5, Funny
    I know there are "love the whales" slashdotters out there...

    I just can't stand all that smoke that the shuttle produces! Can't they use smokeless fuel?!? An the fact that they're using salmon to fuel those things! Yes its true! They use LOX to power it! See, they take Salmons and cream cheese to send the shuttle into space! It burns up soooooo many Salmon, that one day, they'll be extinct!

  4. Re:Stating the OBVIOUS by Alias777 · · Score: 2, Funny

    WHY are you CAPITALIZING words that AREN'T even PRONOUNCED and are very MINUTE points but they are still in all CAPS.

  5. I have an easy solution... by jo7hs2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Spray the external fuel tank with a thick coat of EZ-Cheez. The incredibly high fat content should insulate the tank nicely, and any debris will just leaving cheeZ-ee marks on the side of the shuttle That way, it will really look like it has been around geeks. Some soda stains might help.

  6. Excellent Decision by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's like a car race. If there's no chance for disaster, it's "ho-hum". Now I'm intrigued.