The work being done to return NASA’s Space Shuttles to
safe flight is an agency-wide effort. Workers from all 10
NASA centers have been supporting Return to Flight efforts.
During the next several months, reporters will have a chance
to tour various centers not regularly involved with human
spaceflight to see how their work has been helping NASA
Return to Flight.
The first media workshop is Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004, at 9:00
a.m. EDT at NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton,
Va.
Media may visit LaRC laboratories, wind tunnels and other
sites to view testing and demonstrations supporting Return to
Flight activities. An overview of LaRC research efforts will
be presented by the center’s Return to Flight Project
Manager. Researchers will be available for interviews. Call
Bill Uher at: 757/864-3189/757/344-6811 for LaRC access and
media credentials.
Since the Space Shuttle Columbia accident February 1, 2003,
LaRC engineers have been conducting extensive research in the
critical areas of External Tank foam analysis, on-orbit
repair methods and materials, the aerodynamic and
aerothermodynamic flow effects on the orbiter. LaRC is also
testing next generation Space Shuttle tires as part of the
program’s Orbiter upgrades.
For information about NASA’s Return to Flight work on the
Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
