NPR.org, June 28, 2007 · The Interior Department said Thursday that it is removing the American bald eagle from protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The announcement by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne caps a four-decade struggle to help the national symbol recover.
Once almost wiped out by hunters and DDT poisoning, the eagle not only has survived but is thriving.
Government biologists have counted nearly 10,000 mating pairs of bald eagles, with at least one pair in each of the lower 48 states.
"The rescue of the bald eagle … ranks among the greatest victories of American conservation," said John Flicker, president of the National Audubon Society.
The eagle population hit rock bottom in 1963, when only 417 mating pairs could be documented in the 48 states and the survival of the species was in question. It was one of the first species to be declared endangered.
DDT, a synthetic pesticide, was to blame for much of the species depletion. The pesticide was widely used in the 1940s to control mosquitoes; it seeped into lakes and streams and into fish, the eagle's favorite food, harming adult birds and their eggs.
Eagles also were targeted by hunters for their feathers. They were shot from airplanes, poisoned in some states and fed to hogs in others, until Congress passed a law in 1940 that made killing a bald eagle illegal.
The eagle has been the nation's symbol since 1782, when Congress chose its image for the country's official seal — over the loud protests of Benjamin Franklin, who preferred the wild turkey and called the bald eagle a "bird of bad moral character."
The interior department had been considering what to do about the bald eagle since 1999, when government biologists concluded its recovery was a success.
Earlier this year, a federal court directed the Interior Department to make a decision on the bird's status by June 29. The push for a decision came amid a lawsuit by a Minnesota developer who said the government's delays were keeping him from developing seven acres of land where an eagle had nested.
Damien Schiff, attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation that represents the developer, said the delisting is a victory for property owners. But he worries that a proposed eagle protection plan using another law — the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 — will be too restrictive.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act would make it illegal to kill or disturb the bird.
The Fish and Wildlife Department determined what activities are disturbing to eagles — and one of those is building a house where bald eagles are nesting.
Some groups say the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act will restrict development, and they may go to court. Parcels of land that are desired both by developers and by bald eagles likely will lead to isolated disputes.
The bird is admired by some people, and viewed as a nuisance or a dangerous predator by others.
But conservationists say the eagle's recovery shows that the 1973 Endangered Species Act works. The Act has been under attack from property rights and business groups, and it is the subject of an internal review in the Interior Department.
Environmentalists worry that changes will weaken the law, making it harder to keep plants and animals from disappearing, especially those lacking the symbolism of the bald eagle.
"No other species has that advantage," said Michael Bean, an endangered species expert at Environmental Defense. "It's the national symbol."
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and The Associated Press.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Recall of Chinese-Made Tires Faces Complications
Morning Edition, June 27, 2007 · A Chinese tire maker accused of exporting faulty tires to the United States denied the claims Wednesday.
U.S. regulators have ordered tire importer Foreign Tire Sales, based in Union, N.J., to recall as many as 450,000 tires after the company reported that the treads on light-truck radials manufactured by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. in Hangzhou, China, might separate.
Hangzhou Zhongce replied in a written statement that it has not found fault in the tires. It said the tires met U.S. safety standards and the importer's specifications.
But Foreign Tire Sales said many of the tires are missing a safety feature called a gum strip, which helps bind the belts of the tire to each other. The gum strip prevents tread separation, which can cause a tire to blow, possibly making a driver lose control of the vehicle and crash.
The Chinese-made tires were sold under at least four brand names: Westlake, Compass, Telluride and YKS. The tires, which were sold for use on vans, sport utility vehicles and pickups, have been linked to at least two deaths after tread separation.
Tread separation is the problem that led Firestone to recall millions of tires in 2000.
Tire treads separate thousands of times each year, and usually nobody is hurt. But in August of 2006, two carpenters were on their way home from work in a cargo van when the tread separated on a rear tire.
The loose tread wrapped around the axle and locked up one of the rear wheels, causing the van to flip over, and both men were killed, said Sean Kane, a safety researcher hired by a lawyer for the men's families.
The lawyer found that those tires were made by Hangzhou Zhongce and imported by Foreign Tire Sales.
The tires have passed several U.S. safety tests, experts said, so it's possible the fatal accident was the result of a nail in the road, under-inflation or something else.
Because the manufacturer does not have an office in the U.S., the importer is responsible for the quality of the tires.
But Foreign Tire Sales has said it does not have enough money to fund a recall. The small, family owned importer is suing the Chinese manufacturer – the second largest tire maker in China – saying it should pay for the recall.
Foreign Tire Sales would have to pay for advertisements announcing the recall, hundreds of thousands of replacement tires and the environmentally safe recycling of all recalled tires.
Larry Lavigne, a lawyer representing Foreign Tire Sales, said the company would go bankrupt.
"We're thinking that the recall will cost in excess of $200 per tire," he said. "So you're looking at $60 million."
Foreign Tire Sales asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help pay for a recall, but the agency refused. For now, drivers who want to get rid of the tires will have to pay for replacements themselves.
"If you have some of these tires on your vehicles, you're probably going to want to remove them," Kane, the safety researcher, said. "I mean, they could pose a serious danger."
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and The Associated Press.
U.S. regulators have ordered tire importer Foreign Tire Sales, based in Union, N.J., to recall as many as 450,000 tires after the company reported that the treads on light-truck radials manufactured by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. in Hangzhou, China, might separate.
Hangzhou Zhongce replied in a written statement that it has not found fault in the tires. It said the tires met U.S. safety standards and the importer's specifications.
But Foreign Tire Sales said many of the tires are missing a safety feature called a gum strip, which helps bind the belts of the tire to each other. The gum strip prevents tread separation, which can cause a tire to blow, possibly making a driver lose control of the vehicle and crash.
The Chinese-made tires were sold under at least four brand names: Westlake, Compass, Telluride and YKS. The tires, which were sold for use on vans, sport utility vehicles and pickups, have been linked to at least two deaths after tread separation.
Tread separation is the problem that led Firestone to recall millions of tires in 2000.
Tire treads separate thousands of times each year, and usually nobody is hurt. But in August of 2006, two carpenters were on their way home from work in a cargo van when the tread separated on a rear tire.
The loose tread wrapped around the axle and locked up one of the rear wheels, causing the van to flip over, and both men were killed, said Sean Kane, a safety researcher hired by a lawyer for the men's families.
The lawyer found that those tires were made by Hangzhou Zhongce and imported by Foreign Tire Sales.
The tires have passed several U.S. safety tests, experts said, so it's possible the fatal accident was the result of a nail in the road, under-inflation or something else.
Because the manufacturer does not have an office in the U.S., the importer is responsible for the quality of the tires.
But Foreign Tire Sales has said it does not have enough money to fund a recall. The small, family owned importer is suing the Chinese manufacturer – the second largest tire maker in China – saying it should pay for the recall.
Foreign Tire Sales would have to pay for advertisements announcing the recall, hundreds of thousands of replacement tires and the environmentally safe recycling of all recalled tires.
Larry Lavigne, a lawyer representing Foreign Tire Sales, said the company would go bankrupt.
"We're thinking that the recall will cost in excess of $200 per tire," he said. "So you're looking at $60 million."
Foreign Tire Sales asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help pay for a recall, but the agency refused. For now, drivers who want to get rid of the tires will have to pay for replacements themselves.
"If you have some of these tires on your vehicles, you're probably going to want to remove them," Kane, the safety researcher, said. "I mean, they could pose a serious danger."
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and The Associated Press.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Police Seek Help Picking Killers from a Texas Crowd
by Deborah Tedford and Kayla Webley
NPR.org
June 21, 2007 · Austin, Texas, police and minority leaders appealed for community help in finding three to four people who beat a Hispanic man to death following an accident in a crowded parking lot.
David Rivas Morales, 40, died Tuesday night after being beaten outside the housing project where he lived, police said. The murder has sparked outrage because it was witnessed by more than a dozen people, none of whom has come forward to identify the killers.
Police said the incident happened shortly before 9:30 p.m., when a co-worker gave Morales a ride home after work. The co-worker was leaving the parking lot when his car "bumped" a 2-year-old child, a city official said.
Assistant Police Chief David Carter said the child was not seriously injured, but the incident enraged three or four people, who started beating the driver. When Morales tried to intervene, the men started beating him. Carter said Morales' co-worker drove away without knowing that his friend was being beaten. Police said there were 15 to 20 witnesses to the attack.
Carter urged the witnesses to come forward. "We need the public's help," Carter said. "We want to bring justice to the Morales family, as (well as) to the community."
"My family is taking it pretty hard," said Elizabeth Morales, the victim's sister. "I'm worried about my mother. He's my younger brother. He was a loving and caring person."
Assistant Chief Cathy Ellison said the department will leave no stone unturned in trying to find the killers.
"This poor guy was just trying to help a friend," she said. "We're grieving along with the Morales family."
Elizabeth Morales said she is angry that it took so long for her brother to be transported to the hospital.
"They took 30 to 40 minutes. My brother was choking and gasping for air," she said.
Richard Herrington, director of Austin's Emergency Medical Services, said traffic from the Juneteenth festival and incorrect information given in an anonymous 911 call contributed to the delay.
Juneteenth commemorates the day it was announced in Texas that slavery had been abolished.
Hispanic activist Rita Gonzales-Garza said the suspects are all believed to be black men, but she said she does not believe the killing was racially motivated.
Richard Franklin, president of the Black Austin Democrats, said the killing was a despicable act of violence that had nothing to do with race. "This is an animal that needs to be caged. We must police ourselves and take them out of our midst," he said.
Community leaders are concerned the death could spark tension between Hispanics and blacks in the normally quiet central Texas town. Franklin said Hispanic and black leaders are planning a series of community meetings to talk about underlying issues that plague the minority community.
Hispanic leaders said Austin has relatively few racial problems, although minorities have a history of problems with the police.
Gonzales-Garza said the Justice Department's Community Relations Service began trying to conciliate racial problems between the Austin Police Department and the minority community earlier this month.
And Ellison said the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has begun an inquiry that will focus on the department's use of force against minorities.
Ellison, who was acting police chief until Thursday, said the department is cooperating with the inquiry.
Gonzales-Garza said she is hopeful that the Justice Department and the city's new, Hispanic police chief will be able to improve the relationship between the police and the minority community. The Austin City Council confirmed Art Acevedo as the police chief on Thursday.
Gonzales-Garza, who is central Texas district director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, said the Justice Department's involvement stems from civil rights complaints made by minority groups after the shooting death of 18-year-old Daniel Rocha, who was shot in the back by a former Austin police officer in 2005.
However, Ellison said the inquiry stems from a complaint filed by the NAACP in 2004.
Susana Almanza, co-director of the civil rights group PODER, said her group was among three organizations that filed a complaint asking for a Justice Department inquiry.
"With Mr. Rocha's death, he was the 14th victim to die of deadly force by police from 1997 to 2005," Almanza said. All but one of the victims were black or Hispanic, and they were all poor, she said.
NPR.org
June 21, 2007 · Austin, Texas, police and minority leaders appealed for community help in finding three to four people who beat a Hispanic man to death following an accident in a crowded parking lot.
David Rivas Morales, 40, died Tuesday night after being beaten outside the housing project where he lived, police said. The murder has sparked outrage because it was witnessed by more than a dozen people, none of whom has come forward to identify the killers.
Police said the incident happened shortly before 9:30 p.m., when a co-worker gave Morales a ride home after work. The co-worker was leaving the parking lot when his car "bumped" a 2-year-old child, a city official said.
Assistant Police Chief David Carter said the child was not seriously injured, but the incident enraged three or four people, who started beating the driver. When Morales tried to intervene, the men started beating him. Carter said Morales' co-worker drove away without knowing that his friend was being beaten. Police said there were 15 to 20 witnesses to the attack.
Carter urged the witnesses to come forward. "We need the public's help," Carter said. "We want to bring justice to the Morales family, as (well as) to the community."
"My family is taking it pretty hard," said Elizabeth Morales, the victim's sister. "I'm worried about my mother. He's my younger brother. He was a loving and caring person."
Assistant Chief Cathy Ellison said the department will leave no stone unturned in trying to find the killers.
"This poor guy was just trying to help a friend," she said. "We're grieving along with the Morales family."
Elizabeth Morales said she is angry that it took so long for her brother to be transported to the hospital.
"They took 30 to 40 minutes. My brother was choking and gasping for air," she said.
Richard Herrington, director of Austin's Emergency Medical Services, said traffic from the Juneteenth festival and incorrect information given in an anonymous 911 call contributed to the delay.
Juneteenth commemorates the day it was announced in Texas that slavery had been abolished.
Hispanic activist Rita Gonzales-Garza said the suspects are all believed to be black men, but she said she does not believe the killing was racially motivated.
Richard Franklin, president of the Black Austin Democrats, said the killing was a despicable act of violence that had nothing to do with race. "This is an animal that needs to be caged. We must police ourselves and take them out of our midst," he said.
Community leaders are concerned the death could spark tension between Hispanics and blacks in the normally quiet central Texas town. Franklin said Hispanic and black leaders are planning a series of community meetings to talk about underlying issues that plague the minority community.
Hispanic leaders said Austin has relatively few racial problems, although minorities have a history of problems with the police.
Gonzales-Garza said the Justice Department's Community Relations Service began trying to conciliate racial problems between the Austin Police Department and the minority community earlier this month.
And Ellison said the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has begun an inquiry that will focus on the department's use of force against minorities.
Ellison, who was acting police chief until Thursday, said the department is cooperating with the inquiry.
Gonzales-Garza said she is hopeful that the Justice Department and the city's new, Hispanic police chief will be able to improve the relationship between the police and the minority community. The Austin City Council confirmed Art Acevedo as the police chief on Thursday.
Gonzales-Garza, who is central Texas district director for the League of United Latin American Citizens, said the Justice Department's involvement stems from civil rights complaints made by minority groups after the shooting death of 18-year-old Daniel Rocha, who was shot in the back by a former Austin police officer in 2005.
However, Ellison said the inquiry stems from a complaint filed by the NAACP in 2004.
Susana Almanza, co-director of the civil rights group PODER, said her group was among three organizations that filed a complaint asking for a Justice Department inquiry.
"With Mr. Rocha's death, he was the 14th victim to die of deadly force by police from 1997 to 2005," Almanza said. All but one of the victims were black or Hispanic, and they were all poor, she said.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Investigation Launched in Dolphin Deaths
Morning Edition, June 19, 2007 ·
Four dolphins with fatal gun shot wounds have washed ashore in the San Diego area in recent weeks, and federal investigators are offering a reward for information about the deaths.
The long-beaked, common dolphins were all discovered between May 29 and June 5 between Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside Harbor. Their normally sleek, gray skin was mottled and stained with blood from the bullet wounds.
A fifth carcass was found without bullet wounds, but there were lacerations on its pectoral fin.
"It's a horrendous thing that happened," said Mark Oswell, spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. "That someone would go out there and shoot four dolphins."
Necropsies, autopsies performed on animals, revealed that the dolphins were all healthy with fish in their bellies. They may have been shot at the same time with the same gun. Four had between one and three bullets of the same caliber in the same part of their heads.
NOAA is charged with the federal investigation and has offered a reward of $2,500 for any information relating to the deaths.
"We're hoping that a witness will answer their conscience that this is a wrong and illegal thing that's been done and call us and provide us with information that will lead to an arrest and hopefully a conviction," said NOAA investigator Michelle Zetwo.
Zetwo said it is likely the dolphins may have gotten caught in some fishing lines and the fisherman got angry. She said it could also be that someone was doing target practice on the water. Lacerations on the fifth, dead dolphin's fin appear to have been caused by a fishing line, she added.
"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Zetwo said.
NOAA investigators hope an eye witness will come forward. Otherwise, they will work with the U.S. Coast Guard to track the dolphins' course from where they were shot to where they landed on the beach using the tides.
The last time San Diego reported such a death was five years ago. Prior to that there hadn't been one in the area since the 1960s. Nationwide, federal officials say they usually get one report a year of a dolphin shooting.
"It's very uncommon," Zetwo said. "I've been an agent with NOAA here in San Diego for approximately nine years, and I've never heard of an occurrence like this. It's very unusual."
If caught, the perpetrator could face civil penalties of up to $12,000 or a criminal fine of up to $20,000, as well as jail time.
Harassing or killing dolphins is a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, a federal law that protects seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales and other marine mammals.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and the Associated Press.
Four dolphins with fatal gun shot wounds have washed ashore in the San Diego area in recent weeks, and federal investigators are offering a reward for information about the deaths.
The long-beaked, common dolphins were all discovered between May 29 and June 5 between Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside Harbor. Their normally sleek, gray skin was mottled and stained with blood from the bullet wounds.
A fifth carcass was found without bullet wounds, but there were lacerations on its pectoral fin.
"It's a horrendous thing that happened," said Mark Oswell, spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. "That someone would go out there and shoot four dolphins."
Necropsies, autopsies performed on animals, revealed that the dolphins were all healthy with fish in their bellies. They may have been shot at the same time with the same gun. Four had between one and three bullets of the same caliber in the same part of their heads.
NOAA is charged with the federal investigation and has offered a reward of $2,500 for any information relating to the deaths.
"We're hoping that a witness will answer their conscience that this is a wrong and illegal thing that's been done and call us and provide us with information that will lead to an arrest and hopefully a conviction," said NOAA investigator Michelle Zetwo.
Zetwo said it is likely the dolphins may have gotten caught in some fishing lines and the fisherman got angry. She said it could also be that someone was doing target practice on the water. Lacerations on the fifth, dead dolphin's fin appear to have been caused by a fishing line, she added.
"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Zetwo said.
NOAA investigators hope an eye witness will come forward. Otherwise, they will work with the U.S. Coast Guard to track the dolphins' course from where they were shot to where they landed on the beach using the tides.
The last time San Diego reported such a death was five years ago. Prior to that there hadn't been one in the area since the 1960s. Nationwide, federal officials say they usually get one report a year of a dolphin shooting.
"It's very uncommon," Zetwo said. "I've been an agent with NOAA here in San Diego for approximately nine years, and I've never heard of an occurrence like this. It's very unusual."
If caught, the perpetrator could face civil penalties of up to $12,000 or a criminal fine of up to $20,000, as well as jail time.
Harassing or killing dolphins is a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, a federal law that protects seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales and other marine mammals.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and the Associated Press.
Test Scheduled for Space Station Computers
NPR.org, June 18, 2007 ·
The international space station's recently repaired computers face a final test Monday to determine if the station can function on its own, which would allow the shuttle Atlantis to return to Earth.
Monday's test will determine if the two Russian computers can control the station's orientation in orbit, which allow the station's solar array to point toward the sun and generate power for oxygen generators and other vital equipment.
If the test goes smoothly, Atlantis will decouple from the station Tuesday and return to Earth on Thursday.
After all six of the space station's computers crashed last week, Atlantis' thrusters were used to help the station maintain its position.
During the test, Atlantis' thrusters will take control of the joined craft so it can change positions to dump waste and water. Then, the Russian thrusters onboard the space station will take over. During the second part of the test, U.S. computers will send commands to the Russian thrusters.
"That's a big step in our checkout of the computers to make sure everything is working correctly," said flight director Holly Ridings. "It's one of those things we want to see before we undock."
Atlantis, which has been docked at the station since June 10, will stay another day only if needed.
The station's computers were up and running following Saturday's computer malfunction that had left NASA and Russian flight controllers with a set of frustrating options if the problem couldn't be resolved. Two of the processors took longer to revive and are now on standby mode, but can be used, if needed.
Astronaut's completed their fourth and final spacewalk of the mission on Sunday. NASA's Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson activated a rotating joint so a new pair of solar wings can track the sun and provide power to the station. The solar arrays were delivered to the station by Atlantis as part of its mission of continued work on the long-running construction project on the space station, scheduled for completion in 2010.
Early Monday morning flight controllers successfully tested the rotating joint, moving it five degrees. During a more thorough test later in the morning, the joint began rotating automatically, allowing the solar arrays to track the sun.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and the Associated Press.
The international space station's recently repaired computers face a final test Monday to determine if the station can function on its own, which would allow the shuttle Atlantis to return to Earth.
Monday's test will determine if the two Russian computers can control the station's orientation in orbit, which allow the station's solar array to point toward the sun and generate power for oxygen generators and other vital equipment.
If the test goes smoothly, Atlantis will decouple from the station Tuesday and return to Earth on Thursday.
After all six of the space station's computers crashed last week, Atlantis' thrusters were used to help the station maintain its position.
During the test, Atlantis' thrusters will take control of the joined craft so it can change positions to dump waste and water. Then, the Russian thrusters onboard the space station will take over. During the second part of the test, U.S. computers will send commands to the Russian thrusters.
"That's a big step in our checkout of the computers to make sure everything is working correctly," said flight director Holly Ridings. "It's one of those things we want to see before we undock."
Atlantis, which has been docked at the station since June 10, will stay another day only if needed.
The station's computers were up and running following Saturday's computer malfunction that had left NASA and Russian flight controllers with a set of frustrating options if the problem couldn't be resolved. Two of the processors took longer to revive and are now on standby mode, but can be used, if needed.
Astronaut's completed their fourth and final spacewalk of the mission on Sunday. NASA's Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson activated a rotating joint so a new pair of solar wings can track the sun and provide power to the station. The solar arrays were delivered to the station by Atlantis as part of its mission of continued work on the long-running construction project on the space station, scheduled for completion in 2010.
Early Monday morning flight controllers successfully tested the rotating joint, moving it five degrees. During a more thorough test later in the morning, the joint began rotating automatically, allowing the solar arrays to track the sun.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and the Associated Press.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
NASA Eases Heat Shield, Computer Worries
NPR.org, June 15, 2007 ·
NASA astronauts ventured out to fold down a loose flap of a thermal cloth on the space shuttle Atlantis, using a medical stapler to secure the fold in place. The shuttle is docked to the International Space Station, which is showing signs of recovering from a massive computer failure.
Two Russian cosmonauts began to get crucial computers up and running Friday, four days after they crashed at the International Space Station and curbed the outpost's ability to orient itself and produce oxygen.
The progress came after days of frustrating effort and, for the time being, removed a set of troubling options lying ahead for NASA and the Russian space agency if the computers continued to fail.
"They're up and operational and this is good news for all," said Lynette Madison, a NASA spokeswoman in Houston.
The space agency is still trying to find the cause of the failure. The leading theory is that a newly installed power-conducting truss caused the glitch — the Russian computers blinked out at about the same time the connector went on line.
Mike Suffredini, NASA's space station program manager, said they are unsure whether the connector caused the problem, but the connector isn't required for station operations until a later power hook-up. Astronauts disconnected it as part of their space walk.
Without the navigation systems, the station's orbit would have dropped to about 200 miles above the Earth by September. The drop of about 37 miles from the current position isn't an alarming amount, said Vladimir Solovyov, Russian mission control chief.
"We have enough time to calmly deal with the situation," Solovyov said. "There is no need to rush."
The space shuttle Atlantis may stay docked at the space station so its thrusters can help maintain the station's position, if necessary. The shuttle's mission was already extended from 11 days to 13 days so astronauts could conduct a spacewalk to repair a rip in the protective thermal blanket.
Astronauts James Reilly and Danny Olivas, armed with a medical staple gun and a needle and thread, repaired the thermal blanket that peeled back during Atlantis' launch. The six inch by four inch rip exposed some of the shuttle's outer skin.
The cloth is used to protect the shuttle from the 1,000-degree heat generated at re-entry. NASA engineers don't believe the rip would have endangered the spacecraft during landing, but it could cause enough damage to require repairs on the ground.
Atlantis launched June 8, carrying seven astronauts to the space station, to continue work on the long-running construction project, scheduled for completion in 2010. The shuttle's cameras, laptop computers and some lights were shut off Thursday to save energy in case it needs to stay another day to help at the space station.
This type of massive computer failure had never been seen before on the space station, although individual computers do fail periodically.
NASA said that in the worst-case scenario, the space station's three crew members would have been forced to return home to Earth early if the computers cannot be fixed. But that scenario is still a long way off, said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations. Gerstenmaier said abandoning the space station is a remote possibility.
Suffredini agreed, saying there are no plans to de-man the space station.
"There is nobody in this agency, or as far as I know in the Russian agency, that thinks this vehicle is at risk of being lost, not even remotely," he said. "We work problems like this all the time."
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and The Associated Press.
NASA astronauts ventured out to fold down a loose flap of a thermal cloth on the space shuttle Atlantis, using a medical stapler to secure the fold in place. The shuttle is docked to the International Space Station, which is showing signs of recovering from a massive computer failure.
Two Russian cosmonauts began to get crucial computers up and running Friday, four days after they crashed at the International Space Station and curbed the outpost's ability to orient itself and produce oxygen.
The progress came after days of frustrating effort and, for the time being, removed a set of troubling options lying ahead for NASA and the Russian space agency if the computers continued to fail.
"They're up and operational and this is good news for all," said Lynette Madison, a NASA spokeswoman in Houston.
The space agency is still trying to find the cause of the failure. The leading theory is that a newly installed power-conducting truss caused the glitch — the Russian computers blinked out at about the same time the connector went on line.
Mike Suffredini, NASA's space station program manager, said they are unsure whether the connector caused the problem, but the connector isn't required for station operations until a later power hook-up. Astronauts disconnected it as part of their space walk.
Without the navigation systems, the station's orbit would have dropped to about 200 miles above the Earth by September. The drop of about 37 miles from the current position isn't an alarming amount, said Vladimir Solovyov, Russian mission control chief.
"We have enough time to calmly deal with the situation," Solovyov said. "There is no need to rush."
The space shuttle Atlantis may stay docked at the space station so its thrusters can help maintain the station's position, if necessary. The shuttle's mission was already extended from 11 days to 13 days so astronauts could conduct a spacewalk to repair a rip in the protective thermal blanket.
Astronauts James Reilly and Danny Olivas, armed with a medical staple gun and a needle and thread, repaired the thermal blanket that peeled back during Atlantis' launch. The six inch by four inch rip exposed some of the shuttle's outer skin.
The cloth is used to protect the shuttle from the 1,000-degree heat generated at re-entry. NASA engineers don't believe the rip would have endangered the spacecraft during landing, but it could cause enough damage to require repairs on the ground.
Atlantis launched June 8, carrying seven astronauts to the space station, to continue work on the long-running construction project, scheduled for completion in 2010. The shuttle's cameras, laptop computers and some lights were shut off Thursday to save energy in case it needs to stay another day to help at the space station.
This type of massive computer failure had never been seen before on the space station, although individual computers do fail periodically.
NASA said that in the worst-case scenario, the space station's three crew members would have been forced to return home to Earth early if the computers cannot be fixed. But that scenario is still a long way off, said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations. Gerstenmaier said abandoning the space station is a remote possibility.
Suffredini agreed, saying there are no plans to de-man the space station.
"There is nobody in this agency, or as far as I know in the Russian agency, that thinks this vehicle is at risk of being lost, not even remotely," he said. "We work problems like this all the time."
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR reports and The Associated Press.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Former U.N. Chief Kurt Waldheim Dies at 88
Former U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, who hid his Nazi past while leading the world body for nine years, died Thursday at age 88.
Waldheim died of heart failure at his home in Austria, just weeks after being hospitalized for an infection, according to the Austrian broadcasting service ORF.
In a written statement, Austrian President Heinz Fischer expressed his "deepest condolences" and had the flag lowered outside his office to half-staff.
"We have lost a great Austrian," Austrian Vice Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer said.
Waldheim served as U.N. secretary-general from 1972-81, but it was not until he ran for president of Austria in 1986 that his military service in Nazi Germany came to light.
Waldheim was 19 years old when his native Austria was annexed by Hitler's Nazi army. He signed up with a Nazi unit later that year and served until 1945. During that time, he served in the Balkans as an aide to a Nazi general, who was later executed for war crimes.
Waldheim lied about his military service, omitting the detail from his autobiographies. He eventually admitted to serving in the Nazi military after the World Jewish Congress published evidence, but he maintained that he did not commit war crimes or know about many of the atrocities carried out by the Nazis.
The revelations of his Nazi service sparked international criticism and investigations that led to international censure. In 1987, U.S. officials put his name on a watch list that prevented him from visiting the United States. That ban was never lifted.
Waldheim's election to the Austrian presidency led to controversy among Austrians and damaged the country's reputation worldwide. He was largely shunned by foreign leaders during his 1986-92 tenure.
After leaving office in 1992, he wrote that his military service was necessary to survive the war.
Waldheim is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elisabeth, and their three children.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR and Associated Press reports.
Waldheim died of heart failure at his home in Austria, just weeks after being hospitalized for an infection, according to the Austrian broadcasting service ORF.
In a written statement, Austrian President Heinz Fischer expressed his "deepest condolences" and had the flag lowered outside his office to half-staff.
"We have lost a great Austrian," Austrian Vice Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer said.
Waldheim served as U.N. secretary-general from 1972-81, but it was not until he ran for president of Austria in 1986 that his military service in Nazi Germany came to light.
Waldheim was 19 years old when his native Austria was annexed by Hitler's Nazi army. He signed up with a Nazi unit later that year and served until 1945. During that time, he served in the Balkans as an aide to a Nazi general, who was later executed for war crimes.
Waldheim lied about his military service, omitting the detail from his autobiographies. He eventually admitted to serving in the Nazi military after the World Jewish Congress published evidence, but he maintained that he did not commit war crimes or know about many of the atrocities carried out by the Nazis.
The revelations of his Nazi service sparked international criticism and investigations that led to international censure. In 1987, U.S. officials put his name on a watch list that prevented him from visiting the United States. That ban was never lifted.
Waldheim's election to the Austrian presidency led to controversy among Austrians and damaged the country's reputation worldwide. He was largely shunned by foreign leaders during his 1986-92 tenure.
After leaving office in 1992, he wrote that his military service was necessary to survive the war.
Waldheim is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elisabeth, and their three children.
Written by Kayla Webley from NPR and Associated Press reports.
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