AP: NASA Still Lacks Repair Kits for Astronauts in Orbit, Nearly Two Years After Columbia Disaster

NASA Still Lacks Shuttle Repair Kits

NASA Still Lacks Repair Kits for Astronauts in Orbit, Nearly Two Years
After Columbia Disaster

The Associated Press

Dec. 6, 2004 - Nearly two years after Columbia shattered in the sky,
NASA still has no way of repairing the kind of holes that could doom
another shuttle, space agency officials acknowledged Monday in their
latest status report on the return-to-flight effort.

The development of patches for the shuttle wings and other vulnerable
locations is proving far more difficult than imagined just months ago
and, along with devising a way for astronauts to inspect their
spaceship in orbit, represents "one of the most challenging and
extensive return-to-flight tasks," the 268-page report said.

Nonetheless, NASA continues to aim for a May or June liftoff of
Discovery and, in fact, contends it has dealt with all 10 remaining
return-to-flight recommendations put forth by the Columbia accident
investigators.

An oversight task force will look at NASA's progress during a public
hearing next week in Alabama. Five other recommendations already have
been met by NASA to the task force's satisfaction.

A piece of foam insulation that broke off from Columbia's external
fuel tank tore a hole between 6 inches and 10 inches in the left wing
during liftoff last year, and exposed the spaceship to the searing
atmospheric gases of re-entry.

Although NASA said it is aggressively pursuing repair techniques for
the reinforced carbon panels that line the edges of the shuttle wings,
"it is too early in development to forecast a completion date."
Engineers are having a tough time coming up with patches that would
stick to the panels during the intense heat of re-entry and create a
smooth surface.

As for the silica glass fiber tiles that cover much of each shuttle,
engineers initially thought they had a good putty-type repair method
on hand. But vacuum testing has indicated the material foams and
bubbles, which could ruin such repairs in space.

More testing is needed, officials said.

NASA's three remaining shuttles have been grounded ever since Columbia
ruptured over Texas, and all seven of its astronauts were killed, on
Feb. 1, 2003.