NASA to require second Rescue crew and craft on next shuttle mission

[Stelliform]

Link here....

By the time NASA is ready to resume shuttle launches, it will not be just one crew preparing for blast-off, but two.

A fully trained crew, as well as a second ship, will be ready to fly a rescue mission in case the first crew cannot return home in their shuttle and has to take refuge aboard the International Space Station, said NASA's Michael Kostelnik, who heads the shuttle and station programs.

I know we all wish that they would have taken the concerns of some of the engineers and at least had a space walk to check the wing on Columbia. Hopefully NASA will never make that mistake again.

 

[wdlove]

It is very sad that they didn't do this prior to the accident. The indications and suggestions were there, but the supervisors just didn't listen.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

It makes sense, but the thing is, if anything happens to the second ship then it will be even worse.....but its still good to have a back up.

D

 

[Stelliform]

In the article they say that the rescue ship would be manned by 4 astronauts. I know that the first shuttle flight was manned by two astronauts. (at least I am pretty sure.) Which I am not sure why they would risk 4 Astronauts.

Also I think they should direct their energy on working on a way to make the shuttle remote control. Then let the astronauts return in Soyuz modules. (A black eye for NASA though.) In this instance they could repair what they can in space and then remote it down and if it breaks up it is just a financial loss.