Return to flight?One original hope of space-shuttle missions was that they would become so commonplace, they would cease to be news, But when Discovery returned safely to Earth last month after a 14-day mission, it was news--big news. That shuttle mission, nicknamed Return to Flight, was NASA's first since the Columbia disaster of 2003. In February 2003, as Columbia returned to Earth, it blew apart over Texas. All seven crew members were killed. NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. pelt pelt the undressed, raw skin of a wild animal with the fur in place. If from a sheep or goat there is a short growth of wool or mohair on the skin. its shuttle program on hold while experts worked to identify and fix the problems. The Return to Flight mission had two purposes: to resupply re·sup·ply tr.v. re·sup·plied, re·sup·ply·ing, re·sup·plies To provide with fresh supplies, as of weapons and ammunition. re the International Space Station (ISS ISS See Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). ), and to test new ways to examine and repair the shuttle in space. As it turned out. it wasn't Just a test. Discovery was damaged during takeoff, as Columbia had been. Discovery's crew had to locate the damage and ensure that the shuttle could return safely. Given the problems faced by the latest mission, the shuttle program has been halted again. As NASA searches for answers, some observers say that the shuttle's time has passed. Colonel Eileen Collins Eileen Marie Collins (b. 19 November, 1956 in Elmira, New York) is an American astronaut and a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel. A former military instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle. , the Return to Flight mission's commander, disagrees. "We [at NASA] are people who believe in this mission," she said. "and we are going to continue it." |
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