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
|
|
New Virgin Galactic spaceplane arrives at Spaceport America
Posted: Sat, Oct 31 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, November 4
10 asteroid mysteries that Hera will explore
ESA — 5:56 am ET (1056 GMT) Time to wake up MetOp-SG-B1 weather satellite
ESA — 5:55 am ET (1055 GMT) Russia’s Starlink Rival Is Already Getting a Secret Upgrade After Its Last Satellites Ran Into Trouble
United24 Media — 5:54 am ET (1054 GMT) Germany arrests suspected mastermind of Starlink station arson in Poland
TVP World — 5:54 am ET (1054 GMT) US Space Force Guardians will join Army Rangers, Navy SEALS, and other special forces in a new command
Business Insider — 5:52 am ET (1052 GMT) |
