"I'd be very surprised if we had any damage as a result of debris shedding. ... We will be flying much more safely than we've ever flown before," Bill Readdy, NASA associate administrator, told reporters Friday.The daylight launch restriction may be lifted if both Discovery and Atlantis go up without any critical debris falling off the external tank during liftoff. NASA has been testing a new radar which it claims day or night has a better eye than optical cameras for debris shedding from the external tank.Also, NASA has stated there will be no repair technique for a hole the size of the one that caused Columbia's demise. Instead, the agency has focused on stopping foam from shedding from the external tank so no hole will be created in the first place.Both the Discovery and Atlantis missions will be test flights to the international space station to demonstrate the shuttle is once again safe to fly.In August 2003, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board officially concluded that insulating foam flew off the shuttle's external fuel tank during liftoff, striking and cracking a panel on the orbiter's wing. Soloing around the globe in a plane is now "the last great aviation record left inside the Earth's atmosphere," Branson said when the mission was announced in 2003.He's already proved himself to be a modern-day Magellan. In 2002, Fossett became the first solo balloonist to circle the globe nonstop, despite an on-board fire and dangerous winds. Two years later, he and his crew made the fastest circumnavigation on a sailing ship -- 58 days.For this latest challenge, Fossett and his mission control team at Kansas State University face a tricky triple threat: weather, sleep deprivation and conserving precious fuel.NASA said Discovery's launch is to be followed by a July 12 Atlantis launch.For this latest challenge, Fossett and his mission control team at Kansas State University face a tricky triple threat: weather, sleep deprivation and conserving precious fuel.In fact, Branson and Rutan know something about the far reaches of the atmosphere. Last year Rutan led the first manned commercial flight to reach the edge of space and was commissioned by Branson to build a spacecraft for paying passengers -- possibly within five years. Next Wednesday or Thursday, weather permitting, the 60-year-old retired investor plans to board the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer in Salina, Kansas, and begin his journey toward Europe and the Middle East, over Asia and the Pacific, and back to Kansas.The GlobalFlyer consists of three hulls attached to a 114-foot (35-meter) wing that measures more than half the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Twin "boom" hulls on either side of the cockpit hull each carry almost 5,500 pounds of fuel. The plane is expected to reach heights of 52,000 feet (17,000 meters) and travel at speeds in excess of 250 knots (285 mph, 440 kph).Readdy admitted he hoped the techniques would be further along, but said that two years ago repairing the shuttle's thermal protection system while in flight was thought impossible.NASA has been developing repair techniques for the space shuttle's thermal protection system for the past two years. Not all of the techniques have panned out and the Discovery crew will be testing only three potential fixes for tile instead of the five originally planned. There will be no tests on repair techniques for the reinforced carbon used on the shuttle's wings, where the hole was created in Columbia.In August 2003, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board officially concluded that insulating foam flew off the shuttle's external fuel tank during liftoff, striking and cracking a panel on the orbiter's wing. Soloing around the globe in a plane is now "the last great aviation record left inside the Earth's atmosphere," Branson said when the mission was announced in 2003."I'd be very surprised if we had any damage as a result of debris shedding. ... We will be flying much more safely than we've ever flown before," Bill Readdy, NASA associate administrator, told reporters Friday.The October flight of Rutan's SpaceShipOne won his team the $10 million X Prize, an award from a nonprofit foundation aimed at spurring civilian space flight.In August 2003, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board officially concluded that insulating foam flew off the shuttle's external fuel tank during liftoff, striking and cracking a panel on the orbiter's wing. He's already proved himself to be a modern-day Magellan. In 2002, Fossett became the first solo balloonist to circle the globe nonstop, despite an on-board fire and dangerous winds. Two years later, he and his crew made the fastest circumnavigation on a sailing ship -- 58 days.Fossett has partnered with two men whose experience may be invaluable to the mission: fellow adventurer and Virgin Atlantic chief Sir Richard Branson and aircraft designer Burt Rutan, whose plane Voyager launched brother Dick Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager around the world without refueling in 1986.Discovery's crew of seven is to be led by Commander Eileen Collins.The prize was offered to the first manned flight to return safely from two trips 62 miles (100 km) high into suborbital space.According to Readdy, engineers at the Kennedy Space Center have been working hard to upgrade the space shuttles, including hardening the vehicle and preparing them for returning to space, "The vehicles look like they are brand new cars," he said.Fossett has partnered with two men whose experience may be invaluable to the mission: fellow adventurer and Virgin Atlantic chief Sir Richard Branson and aircraft designer Burt Rutan, whose plane Voyager launched brother Dick Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager around the world without refueling in 1986.The prize was offered to the first manned flight to return safely from two trips 62 miles (100 km) high into suborbital space.The shuttle fleet has been grounded since Columbia broke apart over Texas while on landing approach to Florida's Kennedy Space Center on February 1, 2003.When the shuttle re-entered the atmosphere, searing hot gases seeped into the wing and incinerated the spacecraft."I'd be very surprised if we had any damage as a result of debris shedding. ... We will be flying much more safely than we've ever flown before," Bill Readdy, NASA associate administrator, told reporters Friday.For this latest challenge, Fossett and his mission control team at Kansas State University face a tricky triple threat: weather, sleep deprivation and conserving precious fuel.NASA said Discovery's launch is to be followed by a July 12 Atlantis launch.Discovery's crew of seven is to be led by Commander Eileen Collins.NASA has been developing repair techniques for the space shuttle's thermal protection system for the past two years. Not all of the techniques have panned out and the Discovery crew will be testing only three potential fixes for tile instead of the five originally planned. There will be no tests on repair techniques for the reinforced carbon used on the shuttle's wings, where the hole was created in Columbia.NASA said Discovery's launch is to be followed by a July 12 Atlantis launch.Both the Discovery and Atlantis missions will be test flights to the international space station to demonstrate the shuttle is once again safe to fly.In addition, NASA imposed its own restrictions, including limiting launches to daylight hours -- at least for the first two test flights -- so that any falling debris from the external tank could be seen and investigated before the shuttle tried to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. NASA will also require the first two shuttles to go to the international space station so that if there were irreparable damage, the astronauts could wait there for another shuttle to get them.Also, NASA has stated there will be no repair technique for a hole the size of the one that caused Columbia's demise. Instead, the agency has focused on stopping foam from shedding from the external tank so no hole will be created in the first place.The GlobalFlyer consists of three hulls attached to a 114-foot (35-meter) wing that measures more than half the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Twin "boom" hulls on either side of the cockpit hull each carry almost 5,500 pounds of fuel. The plane is expected to reach heights of 52,000 feet (17,000 meters) and travel at speeds in excess of 250 knots (285 mph, 440 kph).Both the Discovery and Atlantis missions will be test flights to the international space station to demonstrate the shuttle is once again safe to fly."The first solo nonstop is a grand endeavor," said Fossett. "If successful, I hope to earn a place in aviation history in the legacy of Wiley Post." In 1933, Post rounded the globe after stopping eleven times in just under eight days. Fossett wants to finish -- without stopping -- in under 80 hours.The GlobalFlyer consists of three hulls attached to a 114-foot (35-meter) wing that measures more than half the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Twin "boom" hulls on either side of the cockpit hull each carry almost 5,500 pounds of fuel. The plane is expected to reach heights of 52,000 feet (17,000 meters) and travel at speeds in excess of 250 knots (285 mph, 440 kph)."The first solo nonstop is a grand endeavor," said Fossett. "If successful, I hope to earn a place in aviation history in the legacy of Wiley Post." In 1933, Post rounded the globe after stopping eleven times in just under eight days. Fossett wants to finish -- without stopping -- in under 80 hours.Fossett has partnered with two men whose experience may be invaluable to the mission: fellow adventurer and Virgin Atlantic chief Sir Richard Branson and aircraft designer Burt Rutan, whose plane Voyager launched brother Dick Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager around the world without refueling in 1986.Discovery's crew of seven is to be led by Commander Eileen Collins.The CAIB made 15 recommendations to NASA on ways to improve the shuttle program.Soloing around the globe in a plane is now "the last great aviation record left inside the Earth's atmosphere," Branson said when the mission was announced in 2003.He's already proved himself to be a modern-day Magellan. In 2002, Fossett became the first solo balloonist to circle the globe nonstop, despite an on-board fire and dangerous winds. Two years later, he and his crew made the fastest circumnavigation on a sailing ship -- 58 days.The prize was offered to the first manned flight to return safely from two trips 62 miles (100 km) high into suborbital space.When the shuttle re-entered the atmosphere, searing hot gases seeped into the wing and incinerated the spacecraft.For this latest challenge, Fossett and his mission control team at Kansas State University face a tricky triple threat: weather, sleep deprivation and conserving precious fuel.The daylight launch restriction may be lifted if both Discovery and Atlantis go up without any critical debris falling off the external tank during liftoff. NASA has been testing a new radar which it claims day or night has a better eye than optical cameras for debris shedding from the external tank.In fact, Branson and Rutan know something about the far reaches of the atmosphere. Last year Rutan led the first manned commercial flight to reach the edge of space and was commissioned by Branson to build a spacecraft for paying passengers -- possibly within five years. In addition, NASA imposed its own restrictions, including limiting launches to daylight hours -- at least for the first two test flights -- so that any falling debris from the external tank could be seen and investigated before the shuttle tried to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. NASA will also require the first two shuttles to go to the international space station so that if there were irreparable damage, the astronauts could wait there for another shuttle to get them.The GlobalFlyer consists of three hulls attached to a 114-foot (35-meter) wing that measures more than half the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Twin "boom" hulls on either side of the cockpit hull each carry almost 5,500 pounds of fuel. The plane is expected to reach heights of 52,000 feet (17,000 meters) and travel at speeds in excess of 250 knots (285 mph, 440 kph).Soloing around the globe in a plane is now "the last great aviation record left inside the Earth's atmosphere," Branson said when the mission was announced in 2003.
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