NASA estimate of Ares I test requirements

Even Griffin's ESAS report said Ares I/Orion would need at least seven flights before its calculated safety level exceeds that of the Shuttles: First flights of NASA's Ares rocket: less safe than space shuttle? - The Write Stuff/Orlando Sentinel.

Of course, the Shuttle program needed 113 flights to illuminate two major flaws in that system.

Posted 12/01/09 | 20:36:07 by TopSpacer | Filed under: NASA Exploration Systems

Comments

"the Shuttle program needed 113 flights to illuminate two major flaws in that system."

unfortunately I think the truth is even worse. the flaws were known before those fatal flights....

so it didn't take X flights to illuminate the flaws... it took X flights for astronauts to die and external obligation forced NASA into a minimal required change. last I heard both accident reports blamed NASA culture and the culture still wasn't fixed.

Posted by donnie at 12/01/09 21:48:01

Not only did even I know about the O-ring wear problems before STS51L but NASA was already into a multi-million $ program to find a fix. There problem was two-fold: continuing to fly in the meantime and then Flying of the coldest day in the experience envelope.

As far as Columbia is concerned, there are hundreds of dings on the TPS on each flight. It was inevitable that one day something worse than 'usual' would occur. Non of the changes NASA has implemented since would have saved that crew...only being docked on ISS until rescue would work,

What a stupid idea to use one shuttle to rescue another! The replacement should be grounded tor 2 years as before!

Only the Soyuz can do rescue.

Posted by Gabe Kampis at 01/23/10 03:44:50

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