NASA aims for June shuttle launch

NASA aims for June shuttle launch

news.yahoo.com...;_ylt=AkKvUrHypWfVVOgu.USqYQvq188F

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA has pushed back the launch of space shuttle Atlantis until at least early June so that technicians can finish repairing its hail-damaged fuel tank, officials said Tuesday.

The new launch date was set for no earlier than June 8 — a nearly three-month delay for the first shuttle mission of the year.

"We don't see any show stoppers in front of us, but we understand there still is quite a bit of work to do on the tank," said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for space operations.

Golfball-sized hail left thousands of dents on the foam insulation on Atlantis' fuel tank as it sat on the launch pad in February. The space shuttle was rolled off the launch pad and sent back for repairs, forcing NASA to miss the original March 15 launch date.
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I really hate when NASA does this, although I am sure there is a perfectly legitimate reason. It still sparks my interest. Delays for small reasons sometimes just don't seem to make a whole lot of sense to me..


[edit on 11-4-2007 by theutahbigfoothunter]