NASA considers extending STS-114 mission
Posted: Fri, Jul 29, 2005, 9:23 PM ET (0123 GMT)
Facing a potentially extended gap before the next shuttle flight, NASA is considering extending the current STS-114 mission by an extra day. Mission managers said Friday that the extra day would allow the crew more time to perform work at the station, critical since Discovery is the first shuttle to visit the ISS since late 2002. Officials also said they were confident that the standdown of the shuttle program, prompted by the discovery of foam coming off the external tank during Tuesday's launch, may be short-lived, and that the next shuttle mission, STS-121, could launch before the end of the year. While the largest chunk of foam seen coming of the tank missed the shuttle, several smaller pieces may have struck the orbiter during ascent, although none appear to have cased significant damage.
Facing a potentially extended gap before the next shuttle flight, NASA is considering extending the current STS-114 mission by an extra day. Mission managers said Friday that the extra day would allow the crew more time to perform work at the station, critical since Discovery is the first shuttle to visit the ISS since late 2002. Officials also said they were confident that the standdown of the shuttle program, prompted by the discovery of foam coming off the external tank during Tuesday's launch, may be short-lived, and that the next shuttle mission, STS-121, could launch before the end of the year. While the largest chunk of foam seen coming of the tank missed the shuttle, several smaller pieces may have struck the orbiter during ascent, although none appear to have cased significant damage.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
SpaceX performs two Falcon 9 launches less than an hour apart
Posted: Sun, Aug 16 10:57 AM ET (1457 GMT) Virgin Galactic delays resumption of commercial flights to 2027
Posted: Sun, Aug 16 10:54 AM ET (1454 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, August 16
Southern Launch expands national presence with Canberra office opening
Southern Launch — 12:40 pm ET (1640 GMT) Satellite Industry Association Congratulates Adam Cassady on his U.S. Senate Confirmation as Ambassador at Large for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy
SIA — 12:37 pm ET (1637 GMT) Mats Thideman to leave AAC Clyde Space
AAC Clyde Space — 12:36 pm ET (1636 GMT) Voyager Awarded Space Force Contract for Resilient Satellite Communications
Voyager Space — 12:36 pm ET (1636 GMT) Scientists Release Biggest 2D Map of the Universe
National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory — 12:34 pm ET (1634 GMT) |
