Atlantis rolled out to pad
Posted: Thu, Sep 4, 2008, 9:26 PM ET (0126 GMT)
After delays caused by technical problems and threatening weather, NASA rolled the space shuttle Atlantis to the pad on Thursday. Atlantis left the Vehicle Assembly Building at 9:19 am EDt (1319 GMT), about 40 minutes ahead of schedule, and was locked down to launch complex 39A by about 4 pm EDT (2000 GMT). The rollout was scheduled for last Saturday but was first delayed because of additional work needed to be performed on the orbiter, and then because of concerns about Hannah, borderline tropical storm/hurricane in the Atlantic off the Florida coast. Shuttle managers decided to roll the shuttle out to the pad after forecasts showed Hannah would remain well off the Florida coast as it moved to the north over the next few days. Meteorologists, though, are keeping an eye on two other storms, Ike and Josephine, that could pose a threat to the Florida coast next week. Despite the delayed rollout, managers said they are still on track for an October 8 launch of the shuttle on STS-125, a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
After delays caused by technical problems and threatening weather, NASA rolled the space shuttle Atlantis to the pad on Thursday. Atlantis left the Vehicle Assembly Building at 9:19 am EDt (1319 GMT), about 40 minutes ahead of schedule, and was locked down to launch complex 39A by about 4 pm EDT (2000 GMT). The rollout was scheduled for last Saturday but was first delayed because of additional work needed to be performed on the orbiter, and then because of concerns about Hannah, borderline tropical storm/hurricane in the Atlantic off the Florida coast. Shuttle managers decided to roll the shuttle out to the pad after forecasts showed Hannah would remain well off the Florida coast as it moved to the north over the next few days. Meteorologists, though, are keeping an eye on two other storms, Ike and Josephine, that could pose a threat to the Florida coast next week. Despite the delayed rollout, managers said they are still on track for an October 8 launch of the shuttle on STS-125, a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
China launches first Long March 12A, but booster landing fails
Posted: Sun, Dec 28 9:50 AM ET (1450 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, December 31
European Space Agency Probes Cyber Breach
Aviation Week — 6:59 am ET (1159 GMT) ESA at 50: What Europe’s space agency means for startups today
Tech.eu — 6:58 am ET (1158 GMT) USSPACECOM hosts first AI-enabled summit
US Space Command — 6:57 am ET (1157 GMT) Inside Rocket Lab's effort to outpace larger space rivals
PBS NewsHour — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) Vandenberg Issues RFI For Heavy-Lift Launch Site Development
Aviation Week — 6:56 am ET (1156 GMT) |
