Posted: Thu, Jan 25, 2001, 10:27 PM ET (0327 GMT)
NASA has set February 7 as the launch date for the space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-98. The launch, previously scheduled for last week, was delayed when shuttle managers elected to roll the shuttle back from the launch pad to inspect wiring in its solid rocket boosters. The wiring was deemed to be in good shape, and the shuttle will be rolled back out to launch pad 39A Friday. Launch is scheduled for 6:11 pm EST (2311 GMT) February 7. The shuttle is carrying the Destiny lab module, which the five-person crew will attach to the International Space Station during their 11-day mission. The delayed launch is expected to push back other launches scheduled for later this year, and will keep the Expedition One crew on ISS into early March, several weeksm later than planned. Additionally, delays completing refurbishment of the shuttle Columbia will likely mean that one of its two missions originally scheduled for this year -- a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope or a science mission -- will likely be delayed until next year.
