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Redesigning Space Shuttle

First, NASA will remove the foam insulation from the metal struts connecting the shuttle to its external fuel tank. And in case foam peels off from another part of the external tank, NASA has put sensors in Discovery’s wing panels to detect debris impacts and will install a digital camera for viewing the tank after it separates from the shuttle during the ascent.

Second, NASA is trying to devise ways to inspect the shuttle while it is in orbit and repair any serious damage that is discovered. The space agency began work on a sensor system located at the end of a 50-foot-long boom that would be attached to the shuttle’s robotic arm. Equipped with a laser ranger and a television camera, the system is designed to capture three-dimensional images the shuttle’s wings. But inspection effort faced "enormous challenges" because of the tight schedule for developing the sensor system. The plans for repairing damage are also incomplete: although the astronauts will be able to fill cracks in the wings and plug holes up to four inches wide, they will not be able to fix a gash as large as the six- to 10-inch breach that doomed Columbia.

NASA is preparing alternative measures that do not require as much technology development. Before Discovery docks with the International Space Station, the shuttle’s pilot will flip the craft so that astronauts in the station can take photographs of the heat-shield tiles on the shuttle’s underside from 600 feet away. The crew members may also conduct space walks to get a closer look. If they find a hole that cannot be fixed, the Discovery’s crew will remain in the station until the arrival of the shuttle Atlantis, which could be launched on a rescue mission within 45 days. The station should have enough supplies to support the astronauts for that long, assuming there are no breakdowns in critical systems such as oxygen generation or carbon dioxide removal.

NASA has also redesigned some other parts of the shuttle but not all the recommended fixes will be in place at the time of the first flight, limiting the kinds of missions the spacecraft can tackle

posted by: kyawoo at 10:53 | link | comments |
space shuttle

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