Posted: Wed, Apr 20, 2005, 9:53 PM ET (0153 GMT)
Confirming earlier reports, NASA officials announced Wednesday that they have delayed the launch of the first post-Columbia shuttle mission one week. Shuttle managers said they pushed back the launch to May 22 to allow more time to review changes made to the shuttle in the aftermath of the Columbia accident, in particular a 15-meter boom that will be attached to the shuttle's robot arm to inspect portions of the orbiter that would otherwise remain out of view. A flight readiness review is now planned for May 10. The shuttle's launch window runs through June 3; after that, the next launch window opens in July.

Related Links:

•  CBS News/Spaceflight Now article
•  SPACE.com article
•  Florida Today article
•  AP article
•  Reuters article