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NASA Delays Discovery's Final Launch To February

Posted by Soulskill on from the hope-you-brought-a-blanket,-keith dept.

Velcroman1 writes "NASA has postponed the launch of space shuttle Discovery's final mission to no earlier than early February — the latest in a long string of delays that have kept the spacecraft grounded for more than a month. Discovery is now slated to launch no earlier than Feb. 3, with the delay allowing NASA engineers more time to analyze why small cracks developed in the shuttle's huge external fuel tank. The cracks have since been repaired, but NASA wants to make sure similar issues don't pose a future concern."

4 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Future Concern? What Future? by jdastrup · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If it's fixed, launch it. Why worry about future concerns? There won't be anymore Space Shuttle.

    1. Re:Future Concern? What Future? by dbialac · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Right, that way they can add an additional delay. The goal is to string along the salaries of the 800 people who lose their jobs as soon as the shuttle hits orbit as long as possible. And as somebody who works near Cape Canaveral, I fully support not having 800 more unemployed people here.

    2. Re:Future Concern? What Future? by h4rr4r · · Score: 1, Insightful

      As someone who pays taxes, I fully support putting those 800 on unemployment. Far cheaper to just give them tax money then to give them tax money and pay their employer his cut.

  2. Re:I should work for Nasa by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Insightful

    No, the correct methodology is to make the contractor pay for the inspections and any repairs, plus a fee for any delays to launches.