NASA postpones shuttle launch again
Sunday, 9 December 2007
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, Dec 8 (AFP): The United States (US) space agency Saturday postponed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis for a third consecutive day and announced plans to strengthen safety rules governing launches.
Problems with fuel gauges on the shuttle's external tanks had forced NASA to put off launches scheduled first Thursday and then Friday.
Liftoff is now set for 3:21 pm (2021 GMT) Sunday, Kennedy Space Center spokesman Allard Beutel said.
A NASA meteorologist said that there is a 70 per cent probability of favorable launch weather Sunday.
"If we find that this proposal allow us to fly with an acceptable risk we'll try to launch Sunday," Wayne Hale, director of the shuttle programme, told reporters.
The problems with gauges started Thursday, when Atlantis's fuel tanks were being filled with hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
The monitors indicated that the tanks were empty when in fact they were full, a malfunction that under the rules the National Aeronautics and Safety Administration prevents a shuttle launch.
Hale said three sensors had failed in a manner that did not allow NASA to launch Atlantis.
Problems with fuel gauges on the shuttle's external tanks had forced NASA to put off launches scheduled first Thursday and then Friday.
Liftoff is now set for 3:21 pm (2021 GMT) Sunday, Kennedy Space Center spokesman Allard Beutel said.
A NASA meteorologist said that there is a 70 per cent probability of favorable launch weather Sunday.
"If we find that this proposal allow us to fly with an acceptable risk we'll try to launch Sunday," Wayne Hale, director of the shuttle programme, told reporters.
The problems with gauges started Thursday, when Atlantis's fuel tanks were being filled with hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
The monitors indicated that the tanks were empty when in fact they were full, a malfunction that under the rules the National Aeronautics and Safety Administration prevents a shuttle launch.
Hale said three sensors had failed in a manner that did not allow NASA to launch Atlantis.