OMEN
09-08-2006, 08:14 AM
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The launch of space shuttle Atlantis was further delayed due to a problem with a power system.
NASA decided on Thursday to attempt to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on Friday despite finding a problem with an electricity generator on the spacecraft two days ago.
The U.S. space agency had planned to launch Atlantis on Wednesday on the first construction mission to the International Space Station since the 2003 Columbia disaster, but the discovery of a glitch in a fuel cell forced managers to delay the launch.
"The team came to the conclusion today that the cloud we saw over fuel cell number 1 was probably acceptable to fly with," shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said following a meeting of top NASA officials.
Launch time on Friday is 11:41 a.m. (1541 GMT). NASA forecasters predicted a 70 percent chance of acceptable weather for liftoff.
If Atlantis does not fly on Friday, NASA had agreed to delay the mission so that Russia could proceed with its launch of a Soyuz spacecraft that will ferry a new crew to the space station along with an Iranian-born American entrepreneur, Anousheh Ansari.
But NASA managers said they were talking with Russian space officials about allowing Atlantis to be launched on Saturday if Friday's attempt has to be called off.
The power problem, a voltage spike in one of the three fuel cells on the shuttle, was found shortly before the shuttle was to be loaded with a half million gallons of propellants for launch on Wednesday.
The 250-pound (113-kg) units combine oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity for the shuttle's systems and water that is used for cooling and for the crew to drink.
Hale said there was "some risk" in flying with the troublesome fuel cell, but said the risk was low. A failure of the fuel cell during the flight could cut the mission short.
Atlantis' crew is to deliver and install a $372 million solar power module to the space station. NASA needs to launch by Friday to assure there is time for the complex assembly and to have an extra day in case any problems arise.
If NASA misses this week's launch window, the next opportunity for Atlantis to fly would be October 26.
Construction of the $100 billion space station has been on hold since shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas more than 3 1/2 years ago, killing all seven astronauts on board.
NASA has just four years to finish building the orbital complex before the space shuttles are retired. The station's structural trusses, modules and other major components were designed to be launched only on the shuttles.
Managers had planned to launch Atlantis and its six-member crew last week, but a lightning strike and a storm triggered a series of postponements. The mission already had been delayed more than three years while NASA recovered from the Columbia disaster.
Reuters
After all the tragedies that have hit the Shuttle over the last few years,They should take as long as they need to make sure the launch is as safe as possible and the Astronaughts have more than a 50/50 chance of a safe return..
The launch of space shuttle Atlantis was further delayed due to a problem with a power system.
NASA decided on Thursday to attempt to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on Friday despite finding a problem with an electricity generator on the spacecraft two days ago.
The U.S. space agency had planned to launch Atlantis on Wednesday on the first construction mission to the International Space Station since the 2003 Columbia disaster, but the discovery of a glitch in a fuel cell forced managers to delay the launch.
"The team came to the conclusion today that the cloud we saw over fuel cell number 1 was probably acceptable to fly with," shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said following a meeting of top NASA officials.
Launch time on Friday is 11:41 a.m. (1541 GMT). NASA forecasters predicted a 70 percent chance of acceptable weather for liftoff.
If Atlantis does not fly on Friday, NASA had agreed to delay the mission so that Russia could proceed with its launch of a Soyuz spacecraft that will ferry a new crew to the space station along with an Iranian-born American entrepreneur, Anousheh Ansari.
But NASA managers said they were talking with Russian space officials about allowing Atlantis to be launched on Saturday if Friday's attempt has to be called off.
The power problem, a voltage spike in one of the three fuel cells on the shuttle, was found shortly before the shuttle was to be loaded with a half million gallons of propellants for launch on Wednesday.
The 250-pound (113-kg) units combine oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity for the shuttle's systems and water that is used for cooling and for the crew to drink.
Hale said there was "some risk" in flying with the troublesome fuel cell, but said the risk was low. A failure of the fuel cell during the flight could cut the mission short.
Atlantis' crew is to deliver and install a $372 million solar power module to the space station. NASA needs to launch by Friday to assure there is time for the complex assembly and to have an extra day in case any problems arise.
If NASA misses this week's launch window, the next opportunity for Atlantis to fly would be October 26.
Construction of the $100 billion space station has been on hold since shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas more than 3 1/2 years ago, killing all seven astronauts on board.
NASA has just four years to finish building the orbital complex before the space shuttles are retired. The station's structural trusses, modules and other major components were designed to be launched only on the shuttles.
Managers had planned to launch Atlantis and its six-member crew last week, but a lightning strike and a storm triggered a series of postponements. The mission already had been delayed more than three years while NASA recovered from the Columbia disaster.
Reuters
After all the tragedies that have hit the Shuttle over the last few years,They should take as long as they need to make sure the launch is as safe as possible and the Astronaughts have more than a 50/50 chance of a safe return..