NASA plans to bounce back by autumn

Nasa is making plans to return the space shuttle to orbit as early has the autumn and has instructed engineers to be prepared to make any “corrective actions” recommended by the board now investigating the Columbia tragedy.

William Readdy, Nasa’s associate administrator for space flight, issued a memo this week instructing agency officials to organise a team to plan for quickly making changes in the space shuttle – or its operations – so that the craft would be quickly ready to fly.

“The team will prepare for a safe return to flight as soon as practicable,” the March 12 memo said.

“As a goal, the SSP (Space Shuttle Programme) shall plan for corrective actions and reviews which support a launch opportunity as early as the fall of 2003.”

Readdy said that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will be guided by the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which is studying the factors involved in the February 1 destruction of Columbia in which the seven crew members perished.

The space shuttle disintegrated while returning to Earth, scattering debris across wide areas of Texas and Louisiana.

The memo instructed engineers to review specific problems that already are being investigation by the CAIB.

These issues include foam insulation that peeled off the shuttle’s external fuel tank and smashed into the craft’s left wing and may have damaged the thermal protection tiles on that wing.

The return-to-flight team also is to review ways to inspect and repair damaged tiles while the shuttle is in orbit.

Other issues to be studied are how the spacecraft is prepared for orbit, the policies on granting safety waivers and the methods used to identify in-flight safety problems and how those issues are relayed to top Nasa management.

Readdy said Nasa will not “prejudge” the conclusions of the accident review board, but will concentrate efforts on problems that the board has already publicly discussed, such as the foam insulation debris and possible broken tiles on the wing.

“That’s the elephant in the room,” said Readdy. “We can’t ignore those.”

Nasa’s plans call for the first mission to be directed toward continuing the construction of the International Space Station. The mission also would be used to rotate crew members now in the station.