dwasson
07-11-2005, 11:08 AM
Purpose of Decade-old Space Mission Eludes Scientists
NASA sent shockwaves through the scientific community today by acknowledging that it could no longer remember why it launched a space probe over a decade ago.
At the Johnson Space Center, spokesperson Harrison Froling said that NASA scientists were “working overtime” to try to remember why the space agency launched the Explorer 17b on May 17, 1995.
“We are confident that the Explorer 17b will expand our understanding of the solar system and the universe,” Mr. Froling said. “We’re just not sure how.”
Red-faced NASA officials said the file containing the Explorer 17b’s mission statement may have been mislaid during an office move several years ago, leading to the space agency’s present confusion about the space probe’s reason for being.
On Capitol Hill, congressional leaders demanded a fuller explanation of how NASA could have launched a multibillion-dollar space probe and not remember why they did it.
“According to the General Accounting Office, the Explorer 17b cost taxpayers over eight billion dollars,” said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). “With that kind of money, we could invade Syria.”
At NASA, Mr. Froling said that the space agency was considering launching a new space probe, the Explorer 17c, that would dock with the Explorer 17b and determine what its mission was supposed to be.
“Our only hope is that by the time the Explorer 17c gets up there we will still remember why we launched it,” he said.
NASA sent shockwaves through the scientific community today by acknowledging that it could no longer remember why it launched a space probe over a decade ago.
At the Johnson Space Center, spokesperson Harrison Froling said that NASA scientists were “working overtime” to try to remember why the space agency launched the Explorer 17b on May 17, 1995.
“We are confident that the Explorer 17b will expand our understanding of the solar system and the universe,” Mr. Froling said. “We’re just not sure how.”
Red-faced NASA officials said the file containing the Explorer 17b’s mission statement may have been mislaid during an office move several years ago, leading to the space agency’s present confusion about the space probe’s reason for being.
On Capitol Hill, congressional leaders demanded a fuller explanation of how NASA could have launched a multibillion-dollar space probe and not remember why they did it.
“According to the General Accounting Office, the Explorer 17b cost taxpayers over eight billion dollars,” said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). “With that kind of money, we could invade Syria.”
At NASA, Mr. Froling said that the space agency was considering launching a new space probe, the Explorer 17c, that would dock with the Explorer 17b and determine what its mission was supposed to be.
“Our only hope is that by the time the Explorer 17c gets up there we will still remember why we launched it,” he said.