By Xinhua,
Washington : The U.S. space shuttle’s final service call to the Hubble Space Telescope is now set for Oct. 8, NASA announced Thursday.
Shuttle Atlantis’ STS-125 mission to Hubble was moved from Aug.28 to Oct. 8, due to a delay in deliveries of shuttle components, including the external fuel tanks, said NASA in a statement.
NASA said it also need more time to prepare shuttle Endeavour for a possible rescue mission approximately two weeks after STS-125 launches.
As a domino effect, Endeavour’s STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has moved from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10.
Flights beyond STS-126 will be assessed and coordinated with NASA’s international partners at a later date.
NASA Shuttle Program also has decided that Atlantis will be assigned two additional flights after the Hubble mission in order to more efficiently fly the remaining shuttle flights using the three orbiters in sequence.
Space shuttle Discovery is now waiting for liftoff on May 31, delivering the main part of Japan’s Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station.
NASA hopes to complete the construction of ISS before the three-shuttle fleet on active service is retired in 2010.