NASA: Hopes raised for shuttle flights to resume soon

December 31, 2004

NASA's hopes of launching a man into space on the shuttle again are one step closer today. The transportation of a new 15-story external fuel tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans today to The Kennedy Space Centre.

NASA plans to spend $612 million repairing the space shuttle system. The main problem that caused the death of seven crew members and the destruction of the Columbia is the reason for the expenditure. All of the money will be spent on the fuel systems. Making a new foam insulation that will not fall off at launch is the reason for the new fuel tank which will not damage the space shuttle, like the Columbia.

There has been no date set as to when the space shuttle will be up and running again but what has to be in the front of NASA's mind is that Russia will start to charge for the use of their rockets to put American astronauts in space.