spacetoday.net: STS-114 launch delayed to July

Posted: Sat, Apr 30, 2005, 11:30 AM ET (1530 GMT)
STS-114: rollout (NASA/KSC)

NASA officials announced Friday that they have delayed the launch of the first post-Columbia shuttle mission from May 22 until July in order to resolve an issue with ice buildup on the shuttle's external tank. Shuttle managers said they need additional time to better understand the potential risks of ice building up on the external tank, which could fall off and damage the shuttle during launch. The shuttle, currently on the launch pad, will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building so that workers can install a heater on a portion of the tank susceptible to ice buildup. The new launch window for STS-114 opens July 13 and runs through the end of the month. Officials said, however, that there are no guarantees that they will be able to resolve that problem and other issues by July.