Launch of space shuttle Atlantis delayed further

By DPA

Washington : The much-delayed launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis remains up in the air, according to NASA officials who are now predicting a takeoff date of early February and in any case no sooner than Jan 24.


Support TwoCircles

Shuttle programme manager John Shannon Thursday said that ongoing attempts to resolve a problem with the shuttle’s fuel sensors has prevented the US space agency from setting a firm launch date.

The launch has been pushed back to Jan 24 at the absolute earliest, but even that date was “a stretch”, he said. It was “much more likely” that the shuttle would be ready to go on Feb 2 or 7, Shannon said.

Atlantis, which will carry the European space laboratory Columbus to the International Space Station, had been set for takeoff Dec 6 but was eventually delayed until Jan 10 after several scrapped launches blamed on the failing fuel sensors.

Shannon said NASA engineers have narrowed down the problem to a faulty connector between the external fuel tank and the onboard computer – something he called a “design issue” that may exist in all shuttles.

Shannon said engineers “do not know” why fuel sensors have not failed in the past, but “that’s a question we’re asking”. Space Shuttle Endeavour – which itself was scheduled to go up in February and will now be postponed – will most likely have to be repaired as well.

SUPPORT TWOCIRCLES HELP SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND NON-PROFIT MEDIA. DONATE HERE