NASA reverses shuttle rollback
Posted: Tue, Aug 29, 2006, 8:07 PM ET (0007 GMT)
In an unprecedented move, shuttle managers halted the rollback of the shuttle Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building and decided to return the shuttle to its launch pad, preserving a chance to launch the shuttle next week. Atlantis was about halfway between the pad and the VAB Tuesday afternoon when NASA officials, reviewing revised forecasts for Tropical Storm Ernesto, decided that it was safe to return the shuttle to the pad and have it ride out the storm there. By doing so, it should be possible to launch the shuttle as early as September 6, one day before the current launch window closes; had the shuttle returned to the VAB it was unlikely the orbiter could return and be prepared for launch before the window closed, potentially delaying the launch to late October.
In an unprecedented move, shuttle managers halted the rollback of the shuttle Atlantis to the Vehicle Assembly Building and decided to return the shuttle to its launch pad, preserving a chance to launch the shuttle next week. Atlantis was about halfway between the pad and the VAB Tuesday afternoon when NASA officials, reviewing revised forecasts for Tropical Storm Ernesto, decided that it was safe to return the shuttle to the pad and have it ride out the storm there. By doing so, it should be possible to launch the shuttle as early as September 6, one day before the current launch window closes; had the shuttle returned to the VAB it was unlikely the orbiter could return and be prepared for launch before the window closed, potentially delaying the launch to late October.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Senate seeks to add $10 billion to NASA human spaceflight programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 7 10:46 AM ET (1446 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, June 15
Starlink mind games in South Africa
MyBroadband — 12:10 am ET (0410 GMT) Amazon Project Kuiper satellite launch scheduled for Monday afternoon
WESH-TV Orlando — 12:08 am ET (0408 GMT) Study highlights need to manage the growth of space exploration
Radio New Zealand — 12:06 am ET (0406 GMT) A Nazi rebranded as a Space Race hero – but you probably knew that already
The Daily Telegraph — 12:02 am ET (0402 GMT) NASA Considers Axiom Launch Next Week Following Delay
Bloomberg News — 12:02 am ET (0402 GMT) |
