NASA: Shuttle Discovery to Fly Next Year with Rescue Shuttle on Standby
From the New York Times:Michael Kostelnick, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the shuttle and space station programs, said the new mission would be so full of changes that extra precautions were needed in case something went wrong. If the first shuttle gets into trouble, he said, its crew could take refuge at the International Space Station until help arrived.
"For the first flight, we're going to have the capability to do this," Mr. Kostelnick said. "The second vehicle would be able to launch and go to the International Space Station and pick up the first crew if we had a problem."
NASA has chosen the Discovery to be the first orbiter to fly, with the Atlantis to be prepared as the rescue vehicle. The third remaining shuttle, Endeavour, is undergoing scheduled major modifications.
Matt's Chat
It is good to be talking about a manned space program again. Don't get me wrong, I'm as proud of Spirit and Opportunity as anybody; but there is just something about sending people to space that has always made me enthusiastic.The fact that it wasn't standard procedure to have a rescue mission on standby has always bothered me about the shuttle program. I know it is a budget thing, but I feel much more comfortable having a plan.
Once more in to the breach, my friends...
Mark's Remarks
Not just making us enthusiastic, but people do not have technical glitches you have to figure out from a million miles away. People on the ground are far more reliable and more direct that machinery. I am glad things are progressing, I only hope that we seriously begin to look to scrap the shuttles for something more efficient, safer, and workable.
