Engineer killed on Endeavour launch pad
Fatal fall at Kennedy Space Center
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NASA reports that a worker was killed following a fall at Kennedy Space Centre's launch pad 39A this morning.
United Space Alliance engineer James D. Vanover fell at around 11:40 GMT. "NASA emergency medical personnel responded, but they were unable to revive the man," the agency says.
NASA has suspended work at the launch pad for the rest of the day to focus on "our workers and for the family of the USA employee".
United Space Alliance CEO Virginia Barnes said: "Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family of Mr. Vanover. Our focus right now is on providing support for the family, and for his coworkers.
"We are also providing our full support to investigating officials in order to determine the cause of the incident as quickly as possible. Until that investigation is complete, it would be inappropriate to provide further comment on the details."
Space Shuttle endeavour is currently at the pad ahead of its scheduled 19 April launch on the STS-134 mission to the ISS. ®
COMMENTS
No, it isn't
"Endeavour was named after a ship chartered to traverse the South Pacific in 1768 and captained by 18th century British explorer James Cook"
See: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/endeavour-info.html
Maintain your safety vigilance to the end
Reminds me of an old Army rule: Never hang your arms, etc., over the sides of a truck/lorry.
Not so long ago a group of soldiers were returning from a small skirmish in the back of a truck/lorry and some had their arms extended over the side of it to cool off.
A vehicle coming the other way side-swiped the military truck, injuring several soldiers. As a result several soldiers had their arms or hands or fingers amputated - after surviving a shooting battle!
Dude...
...not cool. Not cool at all.
Space is meant to be the dangerous bit, not doing stuff on the ground below.
Condolences.
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