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Science NASA postpones first Orion launch due to funding and technical concerns
Science NASA postpones first Orion launch due to funding and technical concerns | NASA postpones first Orion launch due to funding and technical concerns |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Wednesday, 13 August 2008 | |
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Page 3 of 3 At the time of the teleconference on Monday, August 11, 2008, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), NASA’s safety organization, released its 2007 Annual Report on NASA’s safety performance. Featured Whitepaper
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Science DiscussionsAccording to the NASA news release “Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases Annual Report,” “The panel did express concerns relating to the adequacy of funding for the Constellation Program. They noted that schedule pressures are introducing concurrency in both requirements development and program implementation decisions, and highlighted the slow pace at which some NASA Headquarters decisions are implemented across the ten NASA centers.” The 2007 Annual Report by the ASAP, along with other information on the organization is found at “Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.” No doubt NASA seriously took into account the comments and recommendations in the ASAP report before making its announcement to delay the first launch of the Orion with astronauts onboard. NASA is still expecting to test the Ares rocket on an unmanned run and test the launch abort system for Orion in the first part of 2009. Further tests of both systems will be delayed, however, based on this decision to postpone the first manned Orion mission by one year. From the time the space shuttle fleet is retired (2010) to the first manned launch of the Orion spacecraft (2015) is projected to be no more than five years. Hanley emphasizes this commitment with his statement: "Our confidence that the gap will get no worse than five years has actually improved.” [CNN] Responding to criticisms that safety is being compromised with Orion, Hanley stated, "We are not just blindly cutting out redundancy or robustness in this design process." He concludes, "I could not be more pleased with the progress we are making." NOTE: As with any gigantic, complex and highly technical, multi-billion dollar program, unforeseen circumstances will occur and major-and-minor snags will hit the system. However, in my opinion, as long as NASA is making reasonable and consistent progress with its new manned program, is not overly pressured by outside governmental and non-govermental organizations and individuals, and is provided sufficient funds, we should see the first manned launch of Orion before its mandated-U.S. Congress date of March 2015. |
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