NASA: September shuttle launch unlikely
Posted: Fri, Aug 12, 2005, 8:23 AM ET (1223 GMT)
NASA shuttle managers said Thursday that they believed it was unlikely they could launch the shuttle Atlantis next month as the investigation into foam shedding during the last launch continues. Atlantis had been scheduled to launch no earlier than September 22, in a window that closes threee days later. Although NASA said as recently as last Friday that they still believed that a September launch was possible, managers said Thursday that it was increasingly unlikely they could meet that schedule since they have not yet determined what caused foam to fall off the external tank during last month's launch of Discovery. The external tank may require a minor redesign in order to prevent the problem from occurring again, work that would preclude a September launch. If Atlantis does not launch on the STS-121 mission in September, the next launch window, and the last for 2005, is November 7-10.
NASA shuttle managers said Thursday that they believed it was unlikely they could launch the shuttle Atlantis next month as the investigation into foam shedding during the last launch continues. Atlantis had been scheduled to launch no earlier than September 22, in a window that closes threee days later. Although NASA said as recently as last Friday that they still believed that a September launch was possible, managers said Thursday that it was increasingly unlikely they could meet that schedule since they have not yet determined what caused foam to fall off the external tank during last month's launch of Discovery. The external tank may require a minor redesign in order to prevent the problem from occurring again, work that would preclude a September launch. If Atlantis does not launch on the STS-121 mission in September, the next launch window, and the last for 2005, is November 7-10.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, June 30
Starlink subscriptions drops 11% in Kenya as Safaricom 5G routers win over users
Techcabal — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) Citizens file appeal against 40 Starlink satellite antennae planned in Swiss village
Swissinfo — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Can Starlink stay ahead in satellite internet?
NPR — 5:41 am ET (0941 GMT) Blue Origin successfully launches latest human flight from West Texas
KTSM-TV El Paso — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Blue Origin N-S 33 lifts off
KVIA-TV El Paso, TX — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) |
