NASA Clears Shuttle Fuel Tank for Flight

Screamer49 writes "CNN is reporting that NASA approved a major design change in the space shuttle's fuel tank on Wednesday, clearing the last major hurdle before shuttle flights can resume as early as July 1." It's nice to have a more functional space program again, isn't it?

A whole year?

[NPN_Transistor]

So it took an entire year to decide whether or not to attach a little piece of foam to the space shuttle? Even the development of Windows Vista is going faster than this!

Re:A whole year?

[Slithe]

Hell, even the development of Duke Nukem: Forever is going faster than this!

Re:Improvements

[R3d M3rcury]

"Better colors?"

Now that you mention it...

NASA's PR department has done extensive research over the last 3 quarters and discovered that their audience is strangely disproportionately skewed towards males. In an effort to interest young girls in NASA, the external tank will be repainted in "OMG! Ponies!" pink. There are also plans to take a pony up to ISS. :^)

Re:You tell me.

[SEWilco]

It's more functional when the Shuttle tank clears the launch tower.

Only half the story!

[Profane MuthaFucka]

The summary only mentioned half the story. The tank has been upgraded too. Besides the sensor changes, NASA estimates this tank to be just under a megaton, a substantial improvement in power from the previous airbursts.

Specific fuel modifications

[TheDarkener]

From the NASA website:

"Well basically what we've done is created a hybrid shuttle. Given a Toyota Prius electric motor, we started playing with it. We ended up attaching solar panels to the side of the shuttle, which provide energy to the motor once the shuttle leaves the atmosphere. This provides us with enough remaining government funding to actually launch the ship, with gas prices at THREE DOLLARS AND FIFTY F**KING CENTS, PEOPLE!!"

Shell and Exxon were not available for comment, as apparently the entire executive staff already had a Scrooge McDuck style 'vault swim' scheduled.

Headline

[ms1234]

Am I the only one seeing the headline and thinking: Why did they empty it before launch?

Chicken != Hatched

[Duds]

It's nice to have a more functional space program again, isn't it?

Might want to wait to make that assertion :)