A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Space Science » Technology
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old May 22nd 04, 11:12 PM
Abrigon Gusiq
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says

Any chance they will build a new shuttle? Enterprise, can it be made
operational versus a test bed?

Mike


Don Corleone wrote:

NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says

May 19, 2004 By Broward Liston

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA's efforts to return its aging
space shuttles to flight will siphon so many workers away from
operations to work on safety that the program could be plagued by a
worker shortage in the future, an oversight group warned on Wednesday.

Since the fatal Columbia crash in 2003, NASA has created three new
departments focused on safety and engineering, making them independent
of the shuttle program and its concerns about budget and on-time
flights.

But those new departments are being staffed by workers drawn from
other shuttle operations who are not necessarily being replaced, said
the Return to Flight Task Force, which is charged with verifying
whether the space agency has complied with post-Columbia safety
mandates.

"At some point, the ability of the Space Shuttle Program to carry out
its mission may be hampered by personnel shortages," the task force
wrote in an interim report.

The new departments are still being organized and the report did not
identify the number of workers involved, nor did it offer a
recommendation.

NASA's three remaining shuttles are scheduled to fly until
construction of the International Space Station is complete, around
the end of the decade. The job could require as many as 30 flights
although that number is likely to be reduced.

The space agency's efforts generally got good marks from the task
force, co-chaired by Apollo astronaut Thomas Stafford and retired
shuttle commander Richard Covey.

With the first post-Columbia flight now scheduled for March or April
2005, NASA has given itself time to actually implement some safety
measures where the Columbia Accident Investigation Board had only
required plans, the task force said.

NASA has cleared three of 15 preflight requirements, by task-force
estimates, while making "substantial progress" on the remaining 12.

But the report concluded that NASA may never be certain it has solved
the problem that doomed Columbia, which was foam debris breaking off
the external fuel tank and striking the orbiter with tremendous force.

In Columbia's case, it gouged a large hole into the leading edge of
the wing that made the spacecraft break apart as it re-entered the
atmosphere.

The kind of statistical studies of in-flight accidents needed to
complete a debris study may not be finished before the shuttles are
retired, the report said.

While President Bush's plan to mothball the fleet and shift NASA's
focus to exploration of the moon and Mars "has obvious implications
for the long-run use of the shuttle," the report concluded that "no
matter how long the shuttle is used in the future, it must first be
safely returned to flight."


  #2  
Old May 24th 04, 09:10 PM
Henry Spencer
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says

In article ,
Abrigon Gusiq wrote:
Any chance they will build a new shuttle?


No. Not when the whole shuttle system has only a few years of operational
life left -- a new orbiter would only just be entering service by that
time, and it would cost several billion.

Enterprise, can it be made operational versus a test bed?


Not quickly or cheaply. It would be a bit easier than starting from
scratch, but only a bit. Enterprise does not have a spaceworthy cabin,
for example, and not only would you have to build one, you'd have to split
the structure open to get it in. Same story: it would cost too much and
it wouldn't be ready in time to be very useful.
--
MOST launched 30 June; science observations running | Henry Spencer
since Oct; first surprises seen; papers pending. |
  #3  
Old May 28th 04, 09:41 PM
washer of kegs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says

Henry Spencer wrote:

In article ,
Abrigon Gusiq wrote:
Any chance they will build a new shuttle?


No. Not when the whole shuttle system has only a few years of operational
life left -- a new orbiter would only just be entering service by that
time, and it would cost several billion.

Enterprise, can it be made operational versus a test bed?


Not quickly or cheaply. It would be a bit easier than starting from
scratch, but only a bit. Enterprise does not have a spaceworthy cabin,
for example, and not only would you have to build one, you'd have to split
the structure open to get it in. Same story: it would cost too much and
it wouldn't be ready in time to be very useful.


Another ding against using Enterprise is the structure. If I recall
correctly, she has the same basic structure that Columbia and Challenger
had that is is heavier than the others. After the first couple of flights
by Columbia the last two (later three) spacecraft had redesigned wings that
were stronger and lighter. therefore, If they did make Enterprise flight
worthy it would not help for ISS servicing missions. Have to check with
old timers here for details.
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
NASA May Face Shuttle Worker Shortage, Report Says Don Corleone Space Shuttle 13 October 18th 04 02:27 PM
Unofficial Space Shuttle Launch Guide Steven S. Pietrobon Space Shuttle 0 April 2nd 04 12:01 AM
Unofficial Space Shuttle Launch Guide Steven S. Pietrobon Space Shuttle 0 February 2nd 04 04:33 AM
Unofficial Space Shuttle Launch Guide Steven S. Pietrobon Space Shuttle 0 September 12th 03 01:37 AM
NASA: Gases Breached Wing of Shuttle Atlantis in 2000 Rusty Barton Space Shuttle 2 July 10th 03 01:27 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.