A civilian weather satellite that toppled off its work cart when technicians failed to install 24 bolts last year can be salvaged and launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base before other weather satellites cease sending data, officials said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite, labeled NOAA-N Prime, slammed to the ground Sept. 6, 2003, at Lockheed Martin's factory in Sunnyvale.

NASA's investigation revealed the $239 million satellite fell as crews were rotating the craft from vertical to horizontal position, according to a harshly worded report released this week.

"It is apparent ... that complacency impaired the team directly performing the operation and those providing supervision or oversight to this team," the report says. "The operation was consistently characterized as routine and low risk, even though it involved moving the spacecraft. Several other adverse mental states, including fatigue and external constraints that limited the availability of portions of the crew to a half day, also may have had roles in the mishap."

Additionally, the report cited incomplete coordination concerning the use of ground equipment, late notification of work schedules, and ambiguous terminology in operating procedures.

Lockheed Martin spokesman Buddy Nelson said appropriate disciplinary actions were taken after the accident, but he declined to say whether anybody had been fired.

Lockheed Martin conducted its own review and brought in a team of experts from outside the firm to study the mishap's cause, then implemented several changes to address the flaws that led to the accident, he added.

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Monday, NOAA announced it had reached an agreement that calls for Lockheed Martin to complete the satellite, using company funds to make repairs and forgo any profits.

A spokesman at NASA put a $135 million price tag on the mistake.

"This agreement ensures steady access to NOAA satellite data that feeds our prediction and warning capability for weather and climate," said Gregory Withee, assistant administrator for NOAA's Satellite and Information.

Initial plans called for the completed satellite to be stored until its scheduled 2008 launch. Federal officials say the spacecraft's liftoff aboard a Delta 2 rocket at Vandenberg now is planned for December 2007.

* Associate Editor Janene Scully can be reached at 739-2214 or by e-mail at

janscully@pulitzer.net.

Oct. 6, 2004