NASA Thinking Ahead to Keep Up Launch Schedule
News story originally written on February 17, 1999
NASA officials have asked the U. S. Space and Rocket Center museum to
return parts from two solid rocket boosters. They had given the parts to
the museum in 1988 to be part of a full-size space shuttle exhibit.
Even though the solid rocket boosters were designed for repeated use, some
have been lost or damaged. In 1982, two sank to the bottom of the ocean
when their parachutes didn't open. In 1986, two were destroyed with the
Challenger. Four others were damaged when they landed in the ocean.
NASA can use the parts from the museum to help keep up its launch
schedule. It would cost $300,000 to take the parts from the museum, get
them ready to fly, and build replacements for the display. Otherwise it
would cost between $5 and $10 million to build new parts. It would also
take about three years.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our online store
includes issues of NESTA's quarterly journal, The Earth Scientist
, full of classroom activities on different topics in Earth and space science, as well as books
on science education!
You might also be interested in:
It was another exciting and frustrating year for the space science program. It seemed that every step forward led to one backwards. Either way, NASA led the way to a great century of discovery. Unfortunately,...more
The Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on October 29th at 2:19 p.m. EST. The weather was great as Discovery took 8 1/2 minutes to reach orbit. This was the United States' 123rd...more
A moon was discovered orbiting the asteroid, Eugenia. This is only the second time in history that a satellite has been seen circling an asteroid. A special mirror allowed scientists to find the moon...more
Will Russia ever put the service module for the International Space Station in space? NASA officials want an answer from the Russian government. The necessary service module is currently waiting to be...more
A coronal mass ejection (CME) happened on the Sun early last month. The material that was thrown out from this explosion passed the ACE spacecraft. The SWICS instrument on ACE has produced a new and very...more
J.S. Maini of the Canadian Forest Service called forests the "heart and lungs of the world." This is because forests filter air and water pollution, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and maintain...more
In late April through mid-May 2002, all five naked-eye planets are visible at the same time in the night sky! This is includes Mercury which is generally very hard to see. You won't want to miss this!...more