Delays Predicted for NASA's Next Shuttle Launch
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The space shuttle Discovery sits atop its launch pad awaiting the launch of NASA's STS-114 mission, the first shuttle flight since the loss of the Columbia orbiter and its seven-astronaut crew. CREDIT: NASA/KSC. |
The launch of the space shuttle Discovery, NASA's first orbiter to fly since the Columbia accident, may be delayed a week to allow more time for the space agency to prepare its paperwork, unconfirmed sources said Tuesday.
While NASA has not yet officially announced the delay, there has been some talk about pushing back the launch window's opening and a statement is anticipated to be released later today, a shuttle worker spokesman told SPACE.com.
According to reports by MSNBC and NBC News, NASA managers are expected to announce Wednesday that the launch window for the space shuttle Discovery and its STS-114 crew is now set to open on May 22. NASA officials were previously targeting May 15 as the start of their launch window for Discovery's flight.
The agency plans to hold a teleconference at 3:30 p.m. EDT (1930 GMT) today to discuss its return to flight preparations.
NASA officials were meeting Tuesday to conduct a design certification review for Discovery's flight, which features a series of new tools and modifications to enhance shuttle safety. An independent safety panel, the Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group, has been waiting on paperwork from NASA to complete its evaluation of the agency's effort to safely resume space shuttle launches.
NASA's three remaining space shuttles were grounded following the Feb. 1, 2003 loss of the Columbia orbiter and its STS-107 crew. Columbia broke up during reentry due to damage sustained at launch, when a chunk of insulation foam separated from its external tank and struck the orbiter's left wing leading edge.
Discovery's mission, commanded by veteran astronaut Eileen Collins, is a 12-day spaceflight to test a series of new tools and maneuvers designed to verify spacecraft integrity and enhance mission safety.
Among the most noticeable modifications are; a redesigned external tank, a new orbital boom system tipped with lasers and a camera to scan Discovery's thermal protection system, and a new flip-around flight maneuver during docking at the International Space Station (ISS) to allow on-station astronaut to photograph the orbiter's tile-covered underside.
Should NASA miss the May-June launch window, the next opportunity opens July 13.
NASA officials have chosen both the May-June and July launch windows because of their large margin in which to loft the shuttle. Flight rules instituted after the loss of Columbia call for daylight liftoffs, and adequate lighting conditions during key mission events, such as external tank separation and rendezvous with ISS.
After the July window, launch opportunities in the fall become quite slim and are limited to days, not the weeks offered by the initial flight targets, shuttle program managers have said.
- Fixing NASA: Complete Coverage of the Space Shuttle Return to Flight
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