NASA Engineer Predicted Shuttle Disaster

Last August, Don Nelson, a NASA engineer for 36 years, wrote President Bush a letter that began like this:

Mr. President,
I am a recently retired NASA aerospace engineer and it is my duty to inform you that our space shuttle astronauts are in eminent danger. Your intervention is required to prevent another catastrophic space shuttle accident. NASA management and the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel have failed to respond to the growing warning signs of another shuttle accident.

After enumerating serious problems with the space shuttle, he requested the president place a moratorium on space shuttle operations until safety measures could be implemented. In December, the White House sent this reply:

I do not think that it is appropriate for the President to issue a moratorium on Space Shuttle launches at this time.

View Nelson's website, nasaproblems.com.