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Shuttle Launch Delayed

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the it's-raining-in-space dept.

fizzix writes "Weather has delayed the launch of Discovery to tomorrow (Sunday the 2nd), but not everyone thinks it is ready to go. CNN reports both the chief engineer and the chief safety officer gave it a 'no go' for launch. Despite their reservations, barring inclement weather the shuttle is planned to liftoff at 3:26 ET." Update: 07/02 05:00 GMT by Z : I said launch not lauch. Fixed headline.

8 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. I don't get it. by Carnage+Pants · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Two people who are obviously very high up on the pecking order around there say, "No-go," and and yet it's still decided the shuttle is going to launch. Is it just me, or are we asking for another disaster?

  2. From the article ... by Sonic+McTails · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Earlier Saturday mission managers decided a problem with a thermostat in one of Discovery's thrusters, which was showing a reading in the 80s when it should have been in the 60s, was not dangerous and it could be fixed once the shuttle was in orbit."

    Given the fact that foam striking the side of the Columbia during takeoff wasn't considered dangerous, I'm suprised they didn't stop to recheck everything before hand. When it comes down to rechecking everything and delaying the mission for a little longer vs. the millions lost and the following PR hit, the answer pretty obvious. You could say "it could never happen", but try and tell that to the crews of the Changeller and the Columbia.

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    This signature was left intentionally blank.
  3. Chief Safety Officer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If the chief safety officer can't cancel a launch due to safety concerns, what's the point of having a chief safety officer?

    1. Re:Chief Safety Officer by evanbd · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Well, the CSO didn't choose to appeal the decision. Basically the CSO and chief engineer are worried about the loss of the vehicle, but not the crew. Everyone agrees the crew will be safe, since they plan to check out the tiles etc in orbit, and keep the crew in the ISS and land the shuttle remotely if it looks bad.

      Griffin is taking a calculated risk -- he knows the shuttle might be lost, but has taken steps to make sure the crew isn't.

      So basically, they object and think it's the wrong decision, but they believe that having gone on record as saying that is sufficient -- they don't think there's a need to override the person in charge of risk assessment since what's at risk is only the spacecraft and not the crew. Whether to risk the craft is legitimately a monetary / political decision, not a safety one, since the crew should be fine either way.

  4. Re:Everybody says no-go... by db32 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Uhm...might wanna recheck some things. Republicans are the ones that were responsible for that little lying punk NASA PR guy that demanded Big Bang info be removed from the NASA sites and replaced with right wing fundamentalist creationism stuff. If its intentional, its because they view space as having no value because god is coming back for us right here, and soon.

    Personally...I think the greatest irony would be God, Jesus and friends standing on some remote place far on the other side of creation saying "Geeze dad, I woulda thought they could have made it here by now..."

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    The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
  5. Hold on by Umbral+Blot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So if the engineer says no, and the safety officer says no then who is saying yes? Whose opinion could be more important than these two people?

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    Philosophy.
  6. Re:End the damn program already by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    25 years of this program and with nothing to show for it. It's getting damned embarrassing and is really starting to reflect America as the stagnant dying empire it is.

    Really. And has anyone else on the planet done any better? Going into space is hard, if you haven't noticed.
    The Russians? Ok, they can launch Soyuz. Literally, a taxi. 3 people and not much else.
    The Chinese? Recreating a 40 year old, 1 man orbital flight.
    Commercial efforts so far? Almost, but not quite, recreating a 57 year old X-15 flight, courtesy of a couple of very rich angels. Commercial efforts will get there, but not anytime soon. Gotta satisfy those shareholders.

    ...dying empire...

    You got anything better?

  7. Re:I was there ... by mwoliver · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you have lived in Florida for any length of time you would realize that weather can, and often does, change in the span of minutes. With the hours needed to prepare for a launch, they could have GUESSED but not KNOWN that the weather was going to be bad exactly when their window was going to close. The paranoid should appreciate the opportunity to test all of the systems in preparation for a launch, but maybe I am guilty of a 'glass is half full' attitude.

    Sometimes, folks who think they know a whole lot need to just sit back and trust the folks who REALLY DO KNOW A LOT.

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    Mike O, KT2T