NASA isn't loosening space shuttle risks standards

The New York Times said that NASA loosened its acceptable risk standards for the space shuttle, but NASA responded that the report is false. The Space Shuttle Discovery will only be launched if it's safe.

The newspaper cited internal documents including one saying that lesser standards must be used to determine acceptable risks, "because we cannot meet" traditional standards.

The article's technical assertions were "factually correct," NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs said. But he added, "The assertion that we're loosening standards is not."

The space agency says that they take all safety assessments very seriously, they will not fly the orbiter until they feel that it is safe to fly.

More info at Reuters