New Evidence of Internal Concerns Over Shuttle Safety

E-mails reveal doubts over safety of Discovery, Orlando Sentinel

“Key officials responsible for overseeing NASA expressed serious concerns about launching space shuttle Discovery without additional work to prevent foam insulation from breaking off the ship’s fuel tank. Those concerns were voiced in e-mails sent from NASA’s Office of the Inspector General to agency Administrator Michael Griffin and the chairman of an advisory panel that monitors NASA safety. In the e-mails, copies of which were obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, officials discussed lingering safety doubts about the foam threat and the reality of schedule pressures in the shuttle program.”