NASA has announced Dec. 18th as a target date for the next shuttle launch, and then complete five more launches by February 2005 to complete the U.S. core of the international space station. NASA has put in place many new policies including no nighttime launches and external fuel take redesign to prevent foam damage.

 

"We are going to be deliberate to ensure that we return to flight in a safe manner," said Michael Greenfield, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Technical Programs. "We will take as long as it takes."

 

full story at space.com

testing replies.

How would you like to be an astronaut on that flight? Gotta be a little more stressful than normal.

Theres been more successful launches than not, and this next one is going to be monitored more closely than most.

I think they've learnt their lesson.

 

Having said this, I thought this after reading as a kid that Challeneger exploded.