[tw]

Now the Space Station has problems - that top management is ignoring?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2003Oct22.html

NASA's decision to launch a fresh two-man crew to the International Space Station last weekend came over the strenuous objections of mid-level scientists and physicians who warned that deteriorating medical equipment and air and water monitoring devices aboard the orbiting laboratory posed increasing safety risks for the crew, according to space agency documents and interviews.

Two officials responsible for health and environmental conditions on the space station refused to approve the launch of the new crew, instead signing a dissent that warned about "the continued degradation" of the environmental monitoring and health maintenance systems and exercise equipment vital to the astronauts' well-being. ...

NASA's decision to launch a fresh two-man crew to the International Space Station last weekend came over the strenuous objections of mid-level scientists and physicians who warned that deteriorating medical equipment and air and water monitoring devices aboard the orbiting laboratory posed increasing safety risks for the crew, according to space agency documents and interviews.

The problems with monitoring environmental conditions aboard the space station have festered for more than a year, [even before Columbia] ... Space station astronauts have shown such symptoms as headaches, dizziness and "an inability to think clearly," ... The onboard sensors designed to provide real-time analysis of the air, water and radiation levels have been broken for months, which has made it impossible to determine at any given time whether there is a buildup of trace amounts of dangerous chemical compounds that could sicken the astronauts, or worse.