Dennis Threatens Discovery Launch Date 186
BitFluid writes "According to CNN.com, hurricane Dennis is casting doubt on the shuttle's July 13th launch date. From the article: 'NASA has until the end of July to send Discovery on a flight to the international space station, otherwise it must wait until September to ensure a daylight launch.' Shuttle managers decided Thursday evening to begin initial preparations to move Discovery from the pad, as the hurricane increased in intensity and headed toward the Gulf of Mexico and Florida's southern tip. NASA spokesman George Diller said, 'We're going to keep our options open. We're still trying to protect the 13th.'"
Re:Hmm... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Poor Location (Score:3, Interesting)
Why don't they pack up shop and move to Texas or New Mexico? If they can set off a nuke there, I think a rocket accident is the least of their worries.
It needs to be at low lattitudes, to reduce the push required to get into orbit, and being on the east coast makes it easier to ship lots of stuff in by barge.
But most importantly, politics.
Re:so what (Score:2, Interesting)
Forgive me, but what good would that do? So they could give the astronauts a few seconds to make peace if it is a problem that effects liftoff?
It seems to me that the shuttle has some serious issues... I mean, if they notice debris falling and damaging the shuttle, what can they do, is the shuttle carrying spare parts for a spacewalk repair of the exterior?
My opinion, the beurocracy is the problem... Why can the X prize competitors do what they do, but NASA, with many times the budget, has these problems? It must lie in the beurocracy.
Re:Some more info... (Score:1, Interesting)
Make of it what you will. But I think NASA doesn't need to please anyone, except the people that will be on board the shuttle.
Re:Poor Location (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Apollo 12 (Score:1, Interesting)
http://www.astronautix.com/articles/thistems.htm [astronautix.com]