spacetoday.net: Shuttle launch pushed back to Sunday

Posted: Sat, Dec 8, 2007, 9:10 AM ET (1410 GMT)

NASA announced late Friday it would make its next attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis on Sunday, one day later than previously planned, to allow more time to deal with a problem with a fuel cutoff sensor. The launch of Atlantis on mission STS-122 is now scheduled for 3:21 pm EST (2021 GMT) Sunday, pending a decision at a mission management team meeting Saturday to proceed with the launch attempt. STS-122 was to launch Thursday, but the launch was scrubbed after two liquid hydrogen fuel cutoff sensors generated erroneous data during a routine pre-launch test. Shuttle managers and engineers held an extended meeting on Friday to study how to resolve the problem; the length of the meeting led NASA to delay the launch an additional day to allow launch teams time to rest and prepare. Shuttle managers are studying changes to flight rules that would allow them to launch the shuttle safely even if the sensor problem is not fully understood or resolved. Atlantis is carrying the Columbus laboratory module for the station, provided by ESA. The shuttle launch must take place by December 13 or NASA will have to wait until January to try again.