"Jim Oberg" wrote:

NBC News space analyst James Oberg was watching the test closely, and
reported that the firing was aborted because one of the valves on one of the
engines failed to open. Fortunately, the non-firing is basically a
"non-event," and there are no immediate plans to try the test again, Oberg
quoted NASA spokesman Rob Navias as saying.

All-singing all-dancing, just a different tune and a different set of
steps.

The station will still be in an acceptable orbit for next week's
scheduled rendezvous with a Progress cargo ship, even without the engine
firing, Oberg said.

"Even if the engines never work, they are only a backup to propulsion
capability usually provided by visiting vehicles docked to the aft port," he
explained in an e-mail. "The loss of these engines has no impact on station
operations - the Russians were just curious if they would work after so
long, and they have their answer."

Ah, right. It's *OK* for backups to be faulty - we'll never need them
after all.

Ask the shades of the crew of the USS Thresher what they think of
that.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL