NASA today will announce plans to push back the upcoming launch dates for shuttles Atlantis and Endeavour, likely by two days, officials at Kennedy Space Center confirmed. That would move the targeted launch date for Atlantis from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, and Endeavour's from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12.
A two-day slip in Endeavour's flight scheduled would place its landing on Thanksgiving Day.
The agency wants more time to prepare the payload that Atlantis will carry on its mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, a process that had no contingency time left within the Oct. 8 launch schedule.
"This gives them a little bit of relief to make sure they're not under any artificial pressure," said Allard Beutel, a KSC spokesman.
The space center's closure because of Tropical Storm Fay last month cost payload crews four days of processing time, two of which were made up, Beutel said.
The Atlantis change has a ripple effect on Endeavour's preparation. Endeavour is scheduled to roll out to launch pad 39B in two weeks, where it will stand by to fly a rescue mission if Atlantis is damaged. If that isn't necessary, Endeavour will be rolled around to be launched from pad 39A.
Officials continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Ike, which could impact Florida next week. They said rain and wind gusts today from the outer bands of Tropical Storm Hanna pose no threat to Atlantis.
IMAGE NOTE: Space shuttle Atlantis comes to a stop on the top of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after more than a 4-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Click the picture to enlarge it. Source: NASA.
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