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Nasa tightens space station safety after Columbia disaster
Cape Canaveral (Florida), Nov 07: Spurred by a post-Columbia safety review, Nasa is stepping up exterior inspections of the international space station and making numerous improvements, including installation of more extensive shielding against orbiting debris.
Cape Canaveral (Florida), Nov 07: Spurred by a post-Columbia safety review, Nasa is stepping up exterior inspections of the international space station and making numerous improvements, including installation of more extensive shielding against orbiting debris.
The space agency yesterday released its plan for safely keeping a crew aboard the space station without the help of the remaining three shuttles, grounded until at least next
fall. Smaller Russian spacecraft are delivering crews and supplies for now.
The 84-page report points out the need for more and better inspections of space station wiring, equipment and outside surfaces and improved shielding against space junk. Nasa said all these issues are being addressed.
"The Columbia tragedy serves as strong reminder that spaceflight is harshly unforgiving of engineering deficiencies, overconfidence, system or human error and inaccurate risk assessments," the internal report stated.
So far, space station officials have found five pieces of equipment that pose an unacceptable risk. The five items involve a power-distribution box that failed its vibration requirements, a robot-arm workstation that had wires installed that were smaller than specified, and problems with a radiator, heart defibrillator and ammonia fixture.
Soon after the Columbia space shuttle disintegrated over Texas in February, Nasa's space station program began examining its own operations to identify safety risks.
Bureau Report
The 84-page report points out the need for more and better inspections of space station wiring, equipment and outside surfaces and improved shielding against space junk. Nasa said all these issues are being addressed.
"The Columbia tragedy serves as strong reminder that spaceflight is harshly unforgiving of engineering deficiencies, overconfidence, system or human error and inaccurate risk assessments," the internal report stated.
So far, space station officials have found five pieces of equipment that pose an unacceptable risk. The five items involve a power-distribution box that failed its vibration requirements, a robot-arm workstation that had wires installed that were smaller than specified, and problems with a radiator, heart defibrillator and ammonia fixture.
Soon after the Columbia space shuttle disintegrated over Texas in February, Nasa's space station program began examining its own operations to identify safety risks.
Bureau Report