Wed, Jun 28, 2006
Supported Those Who Voted "No Go" For Saturday's Flight
In the latest
development regarding the apparent rift between NASA management and
safety advocates concerning Saturday's planned launch of
the space shuttle Discovery, ANN learned Tuesday that
Chief Engineer -- and recent astronaut -- Charles Camarda has been
removed from his post as head of the mission management team
(MMT).
Camarda says it's all about his objections to launching STS-121
on Saturday, in spite of lingering concerns over foam delamination
-- the kind of trouble that led to the Columbia tragedy in
2003.
The Houston Chronicle said Camarda now reports to the NASA
Engineering and Safety Center in Houston.
We're getting differing stories about whether Camarda asked to
be reassigned... or was relieved of duty. But in an email to his
employees -- obtained by an organization called Collect Space --
Camarda says he just can't accept the way NASA chooses future
leaders.
"I have always based my decisions on facts, data and good solid
analysis," Camarda wrote. "I cannot be a party to rumor, innuendo,
gossip and/or manipulation to make or break someone's career and/or
good name. I refused to abandon my position on the MMT and asked
that if I would not be allowed to work this mission that I would
have to be fired from my position and I was."
Camarda added that in the wake of his objections over safety
concerns about the upcoming mission, he refused to step down from
the shuttle project and said... if NASA wanted him off STS-121...
the agency would have to fire him.
You may remember Camarda from last year's Return to Flight
mission. He was a mission specialist aboard Discovery.
Meantime, NASA officials and astronauts both past and present
say... they understand and accept the risks of flying with known
foam issues. They say they're better equipped to deal with them...
in spite of an internal NASA document that says there's a one-in-66
chance of a catastrophe should the foam issues remain.
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