New Foam Application Method Could Return Shuttle To Flight By Mid-2006

By completely removing a foam ramp from the exterior of the space shuttle's external fuel tank, NASA hopes to eliminate the foam insulation breakage problem that caused tense moments during Discovery's return-to-flight in July.

The 37-foot long ramp -- a long foam protuberance running down the tank, designed to smooth airflow over the tank at high Mach speeds and ease vibration to nearby piping and cables -- was the source of the one-pound chunk of foam insulation that broke off during Discovery's launch, nearly hitting the orbiter's right wing.

According to media reports, the ramp would be replaced by more-exacting foam placement, as well as sensors to measure the resulting aerodynamic forces. A similar technique was used on the Discovery flight, when a 10-foot section of the same ramp was removed for a safety modification prior to the launch.

The foam that was then applied to the affected section stayed in place during the launch, giving engineers hope that the complete removal of the ramp will solve the problem.

According to Johnson Space Center spokesman Kyle Herring, NASA shuttle chief Wayne Hale met with managers Thursday and asked if a second test flight could be launched in May, with an ISS assembly flight following in July -- a brisk timetable by recent NASA standards.

Herring said Hale told the managers "these are not launch dates, but I just want you guys to come back and tell me what it would take to get there -- if we can get there."

Foam insulation issues, as well as damage wrought to NASA facilities by the recent hurricanes, have all but ruled out NASA's original March return-to-flight date. "I think that May would be the earliest, based on two hurricanes that not only caused damage at some of the facilities but also displaced the work force," Herring said.

Shuttle fuel tanks are assembled at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, which was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and, to a far lesser extent, Rita. Many of the 3,500 workers who work at Michoud, as well as Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, MS, are still living in temporary housing, and NASA estimates it will take approximately $1.1 billion to repair the damage to both facilities.

Nevertheless, workers at Michoud are back on task, and they will play a crucial role in implementing the proposed fix to the fuel tank currently slated to fly on the next shuttle mission.

"Even with the devastation to their lives, it's been kind of remarkable that they have stepped up and are back at work and are trying to balance that with their own personal issues," said Herring.

Once the fixes are completed at Michoud, the tank will be transported by barge back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The tank would need to be returned to Kennedy in January in order to launch Discovery in May.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html