WASHINGTON -- It is unlikely the remaining three space shuttles will be retrofitted with new crew escape mechanisms any time soon, senior NASA officials said Monday.
Such a major hardware change would alter the shuttles' operational capabilities and hinder their primary mission to complete construction of the International Space Station in the near future, said Michael Kostelnik, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the shuttle and station programs.
Following the 1986 Challenger tragedy, the shuttles were outfitted with crew-escape devices that would allow astronauts to bail out of the vehicle under limited circumstances. More useful crew-escape capabilities, such as an escape pod, were not pursued because they were too expensive and added too much weight.
Instead, NASA officials are focused on short-term recommendations expected from the Columbia Accident Investigation Board that will enable the space agency to return them to flight.
The cost and time needed to make repairs to the shuttle fleet won't be known until the investigation board , which meets today in Cape Canaveral, names the most probable cause for the Columbia tragedy and identifies corrective measures.
"Then we'll have a fairly clear vision as to where we are," Kostelnik said. Meanwhile, space agency officials are already looking at some Columbia-related fixes, including improving the insulating foam on the giant external fuel tank.
A chunk of the foam material the size of a carry-on suitcase broke off during Columbia's launch and struck the orbiter's left wing. There is some suspicion that the impact may have played a role in forming a breach in the shuttle's protective skin. Even if the foam is found to have played no role in Columbia's loss, Kostelnik said the space agency needs to fix the problem.
"Clearly, it is unsatisfactory to have that kind of debris separating," he said.
A "summit" of space agency officials and aerospace contractors met in Louisiana last week to shape the list of fixes the orbiter fleet needs to continue operating through 2015 and perhaps as far into the future as 2020.
However, the group was unable to complete its work because many of the NASA officials involved have been too busy working on duties stemming from the Columbia investigation, Kostelnik said.
Spending on shuttle improvements is now projected to be $1.7 billion during the next five years.
The Bush administration also is pursuing a new orbital space plane that would carry passengers but not cargo. Some lawmakers are skeptical about the project, which could cost more than $10 billion over the next decade.
Published under license from FLORIDA TODAY. Copyright © 2003 FLORIDA TODAY. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of FLORIDA TODAY.
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