Space Shuttle might be delayed over security issues

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have acknowledged the fact that the Space Shuttle launch has a 50% chance of being delayed over security issues. They had already announced the date for the first ever launch of the Shuttle ever since the Columbia accident, which resulted in the death of many astronauts who were on their way back to planet earth.

NASA official have warned that the debris from the new fuel tank still holds the possibilities of a possible catastrophic damage to the Shuttle during the course of the mission. And they can only be sure of their work when the Shuttle actually lifts off from the ground. In fact, Shuttle systems engineering manager John Muratore said in a press statement: “The main way to get smarter about this problem is to go fly.”

The space organization has redesigned several crucial components with intentions to reduce the possibilities of things going wrong during the liftoff. Deputy program manager Wayne Hale added: “We believe we have (made) significant risk reduction, but … we are still going to fly with some risk. To characterize it otherwise would be inappropriate.”

The basic idea is that Columbia can take place again but only on the “worst on worst on worst on worst day”. Is this probability good enough to take the risk? We would know by May 15, which is the due day of the launch.

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