What's next (fixing the foam)

Now that the drama of Discovery is over, what is next at NASA in terms of
fixing the ET and getting shuttles back in flight to complete their tasks ?

Will there be some form of enquiry on the foam ?

Or will NASA work quietly within itself to find some acceptable solution for
the foam, and "acceptable" to whom ?

Any feelings on how long this will take ? couple of months ? 6 months ? a year ?

Will the "minimum of 2 flights in daylight" clock be reset, or will they
consider the data obtained with Discovery to be valid and only one more launch
having to be during daylight ?


If new foam formulation/application is required, how long does it take for the
Michoud facility to go from a naked ET to one fully coated in Foam and
delivered to KSC ready to be mated ?

Is there a feeling that ETs already in stock could be re-used, or that a new
ET with new foam will need to be built ?

John Doe wrote in :

Now that the drama of Discovery is over, what is next at NASA in terms
of fixing the ET and getting shuttles back in flight to complete their
tasks ?

Will there be some form of enquiry on the foam ?

There was an enquiry on the foam even before Discovery landed. The team is
being headed by Bill Gerstenmaier, who currently leads the ISS program.

Any feelings on how long this will take ? couple of months ? 6 months
? a year ?

It depends on what Gerstenmaier's team finds. If the debris events can be
isolated to some factor specific to ET-121, the process could be quick.
Otherwise it will take longer.

Is there a feeling that ETs already in stock could be re-used, or that
a new ET with new foam will need to be built ?

That depends on what Gerstenmaier's team finds, and what NASA decides the
fix will be.

--
JRF

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