Shuttles Will Return to Flight in March | Universe Today

Written by Fraser Cain

NASA representatives met with the media on Monday and announced that the space shuttle would begin operations again some time between March 11 and April 6. Several safety changes are going to be made before the first shuttle, Atlantis, launches to visit the International Space Station: the bipod ramp (which shed foam on the Columbia launch) will be redesigned, and launch windows will only be in the day so cameras can track the launch. Perhaps the biggest changes, however, will come from NASA's attempts to change its culture to improve safety. "We will be safety driven, not schedule driven."

Filed under: Space Shuttle

Related stories on Universe Today

• Shuttle's Return to Flight Pushed Back to Summer
• Latest Status on the Shuttle's Return to Flight
• Shuttle Components Were Installed Backwards
• Shuttle's Wings Will Detect When They're Damaged
• Investigators Find Another Potential Shuttle Problem