Re: NASA grounds future shuttle flights


"Damon Hill" <damonunoseisuno@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns96A0B2469CE27damon161attbicom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Jim Davis <jimdavis2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
> news:Xns96A0BBDC11056jimdavis2earthlinkne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
>
> > http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/
>
> Thus far it appears to be that one big patch on a
> fairing; perhaps a bonding problem for that particular
> component? I read mention of 'divots' around the
> forward strut, but can't spot anything obvious in the
> hires pictures published so far..
>
> There will be more pictures and analysis, but I'm not
> yet convinced the Shuttle's down for another year or
> more. This story's still writing itself.


But the entire two and half years was primarily meant to prevent
a repeat of the last flight. This chunk was almost as large as the last one.
This is little different than having an o-ring burn through, without losing
the shuttle, on the first test flight after losing Challenger.

It's a disaster. A year would be optimistic imo.


Jonathan

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>
> --Damon


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