NASA has set shuttle Discovery's
next launch for 5:01 p.m. EDT on May 31.
A cold front last week
prevented the external
tank from arriving from New Orleans until Wednesday. The delayed arrival
will push back shuttle processing just as much.
NASA elected to move the
liftoff date in order to avoid having the launch team work through the Memorial
Day weekend.
The delay will affect other
processing events. The external tank to solid rocket booster mating is now
April 13. Discovery will roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building on April 26
and roll out to the launch pad on May 5. The delays, however, leave enough time
to load the 37-foot
Kibo laboratory built by the Japanese.
To make room for Kibo in
the payload bay, Discovery must fly without the 540-pound orbital sensing boom
used to photograph the thermal tile to check for damage.
Endeavour, however,
borrowed Discovery's boom for the previous mission and left
it at the International Space Station. After arriving at the space station,
Discovery will pick up the boom and inspect the thermal tiles.
Discovery's mission,
STS-124, is the 126th shuttle mission and the 26th mission to the space station.
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