Doubts over shuttle launch after safety warning

Published: Jun 28, 2005
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk



Weeks away from its first space shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster, Nasa has still not met three crucial safety recommendations put in place after the accident, an advisory panel to the agency has warned.

The independent Return to Flight Task Group, appointed in 2003 to monitor Nasa's work to improve the safety of its shuttle fleet, said that the agency has not yet eliminated the possibility of pieces of ice and foam breaking away from the shuttle at lift-off and damaging the space craft.

The 26-member group, which is led by two retired astronauts, also warned yesterday that Nasa still does not fully understand the damage ice can do to the shuttle and that the agency's plans for making repairs to the space craft while in orbit "fell short".

It is unclear whether the findings will delay the launch of the Discovery on July 13. The Discovery is undertaking the first shuttle mission since the Columbia broke up at high altitude above Texas on February 1 2003.continue..