CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The delayed launch of shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Stations first science lab is expected to be rescheduled for a Feb. 7 liftoff a day later than most recently planned, NASA officials said Wednesday.
The new target date, which is expected to be firmed up Thursday, will enable Atlantis and its five astronauts to rendezvous and dock at the international station on the third day of a planned 10-day flight.
A launch on NASAs most recent target date Feb. 6 would have led to a station docking on the fourth day of the flight, compressing an already packed schedule for the shuttles station construction crew.
The new target date still must be approved by officials at the Air Forces Eastern Range, a widespread network of ground stations that provide range safety, tracking and weather forecasting services for all launches from Floridas Space Coast.
Rob Navias, a spokesman for NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, said shuttle program managers will request range approval for the new target date Thursday.
If approved, NASA would attempt to launch Atlantis and its cargo the $1.38 billion U.S. Destiny lab around 6:11 p.m. EST (23:11 GMT) Feb. 7. Landing back at Kennedy Space Center would be scheduled for about 1:39 p.m. EST (18:39 GMT) Feb. 18.
The lab delivery mission initially had been scheduled for launch Jan. 18 and then was rescheduled for Jan. 19 before being pushed back into early February. Both delays were prompted by extra inspections to suspect cabling associated with the shuttles solid-fuel rocket booster-separation system.
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