News Summaries for February 27

Hail Dings Shuttle, Could Delay Launch (Source: AP)
A hail storm left hundreds of divots on space shuttle Atlantis' external fuel tank, and NASA managers weren't sure Tuesday if the damage was severe enough to postpone next month's launch. The storm Monday evening passed over the launch pad where Atlantis was being prepared for a March 15 launch. The hail also hit protective tiles on the shuttle's wing. "Right now, the big deal is how many divots? How deep are they? Can they be repaired at the pad? Can they not be repaired at the pad?" NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said

Report: Station Robust, But Risks Remain (Source: Florida Today)
The International Space Station is a robust, capable vessel but still faces a number of risks that could lead to a catastrophe or force the on board crew to evacuate in an emergency, an independent safety panel reported. "The ISS program's operating procedures and processes are thorough and sound," concluded the assessment from the International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force final report released to NASA, Congress and the public. However, the report also identified potential threats to the continued safe operations of the orbiting outpost. Click here to view the article.

Hyundai to Build First South Korea Spaceport (Source: SpaceDaily.com)
Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder won an order to build South Korea's first spaceport. The contract from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute calls for a launch platform and related facilities at the Naro Space Center on a southern island off the town of Goheung. South Korea plans to launch a satellite into orbit from Naro in October 2008. Following completion of the project, South Korea will become the world's ninth nation capable of launching a satellite with its own technology. So far it has relied on centres in other countries to send its satellites into orbit. "Based on Russian data, we have acquired the know-how of rocket launching," said a company official.

Plans for Angleton, Texas, Space Facility Halted (Source: Houston Chronicle)
Plans to build what was once hailed as a futuristic takeoff and landing facility for commercial spacecraft on the coastal prairie of Brazoria County came crashing to Earth. Brazoria County voted to dissolve the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport Development Corp. Initially the spaceport development group drew up plans for a facility that would create 7,000 jobs and have a place where commercial spacecraft would take off and land. The corporation has received and spent about $1 million in planning funds from the state of Texas. Last year Brazoria County spent $50,000 for a small road and concrete pad for launching small rockets. "We don't have anything to show for it," an official said.

India Mulls Institute to Train Space Workforce (Source: PTI)
Faced with a talent crunch, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is contemplating to set up an institute to train techies. ISRO has acknowledged that the booming IT sector is absorbing young engineers with fat pay packets. "We are seriously contemplating whether we can start an exclusive institute which will take people and train them in space programmes," said ISRO's chairman. If everything goes well, the Bangalore-headquartered ISRO should be able to start the institute this year.