At Nasa, He Who Hesitated Is Out

In the wake of the Challenger tragedy six years ago, the space agency put a premium on caution -- but only up to a point. NASA's top ranks are dominated by gung-ho former astronauts who are determined to keep launches on a tight schedule. An apparent victim of that policy is FORREST MCCARTNEY, director of the Kennedy Space Center, who was forced out last month after he twice refused to approve a final "go for launch" because of safety concerns. Both flights went smoothly after the problems were fixed -- in one case a hydrogen-fuel leak and in another a warped...

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