Avi Blizovsky
STS-114 flight crew in a muddy photo. From left: Andrew Thomas, Charles Camarda and Wendy Lawrence, Commander Eileen Thomas, Mission Specialists Stephen Robinson and Souichi Noguchi and Pilot James Kelly. The photo was taken during the preparation training for the launch near the top of the shuttle on the launch pad. Photo: NASA
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It takes special courage to fly on the first launch of a space shuttle after a disaster like the one that happened to Columbia, but the seven astronauts, at least in their public statements, such as in a recent interview they gave to the BBC, show no signs of concern, although they do not pretend to say that the flight is completely risk-free.
"I always knew the risk would be high when I entered this job and that hasn't changed," says Charlie Camarda. At the age of 53, he is one of the oldest members of the Discovery crew, but also one of the first crew members to fly into space. The other is the Japanese engineer Soichi Noguchi.
Kamerada already has a long career at NASA where he has been working since the seventies. However, he is not afraid to say that some things must change. "I grew up in an engineering culture where disputes were encouraged. This is an essential thing. We had no problems bringing issues up and getting into heated arguments. There is one thing that allowed us to land on the moon many times. I believe it is important that we return to this engineering culture."
The atmosphere of the team
The Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Columbia disaster pointed to NASA's culture as one of the causes of the disaster, a culture that allowed pieces of the fuel tank to continue to fall without stopping it.
The commander of the upcoming mission, Eileen Collins, admits that the "culture" remains problematic at the space agency. "Improving the culture in every organization and every company is an ongoing process. It requires constant effort if you declare victory it is a mistake. I don't think victory can ever be declared. saying. Collins also said that crew members have decided on a tribute to Columbia crew members that will be unveiled during the flight. “We will remember the Columbia crew members as we have every day since February 2003. The crew members were our friends and we miss them very much.
Later this week we will bring you biographical details of the members of the Discovery crew and in the meantime here are their names: Commander - Eileen Collins, Pilot - James Kelly, Mission Specialists: Andy Thomas, Charles Camarda, Wendy Lawrence, Souichi Noguchi and Steve Robinson.
For news at the BBC
Return to flight page on the NASA website
Yadan back to space
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