CAPE CANAVERAL -- Few NASA managers who gathered to sign off on the space shuttle's launch feared an impending disaster from foam insulation flying off ramps on the ship's massive fuel tank.
Hazard reports presented at the meeting showed debris shed from the ramps could be catastrophic. However, a redesign was in the works after significant foam loss during the previous launch. Shuttle managers decided it was an "acceptable risk" to continue flying for two or three more missions before making the fix.
The date was Oct. 31, 2002.
Two flights later, in January 2003, a 1.67-pound chunk of foam broke off the same ramp during launch and punched a hole in the heat shielding on Columbia's left wing. Seven astronauts died when the shuttle broke apart while returning to Earth.
Now, another two flights later, shuttle managers at a June 17 Flight Readiness Review decided to set sister ship Discovery's launch for Saturday.
The decision came despite an analysis indicating a "probable" future catastrophe caused by foam shedding from another type of ramp on the tank. That assessment led to "no go" recommendations from NASA safety boss Bryan O'Connor and chief engineer Chris Scolese. A redesign of the ramp is still two or three missions away.
To those experiencing a sense of deja vu, most NASA managers insist the cases could not be more different. This time, they argue, the dangers of foam are far better understood, the astronauts can be rescued if their ship is damaged and other, more critical, tank redesigns already in place need to be tested in flight before additional changes are made.
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