Shuttle Ferry Flight Delayed By Windy Weather

Windy weather on the West Coast prompted NASA today to delay by at least a day the first leg of the orbiter Endeavour's cross-country trip back to the Kennedy Space Center.

The soonest the shuttle might be back on the Space Coast now is late in the morning on Thursday. But NASA officials think the spaceship and its carrier aircraft might encounter bad weather en route, so further delays are well within the realm of possibilities.

Sustained winds of 20 knots with gusts up to 27 knots stalled NASA plans to mount the orbiter atop a modified 747 at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where the shuttle and seven astronauts landed Nov. 30. The 747-orbiter mating operation cannot be done in winds over 20 knots.

The winds are expected to die down later today, and the plan now calls for a sunrise departure from the Mojave Desert military base on Wednesday.

The timing of the shuttle's arrival back at KSC will largely be dependent on the cold front that is bringing high winds to California's high desert. The front is expected to move east, and the 747 and Endeavour would be flying behind it. Meteorologists think it might stall as it approaches the eastern seaboard, effectively blocking Endeavour's route back to KSC.

NASA flight rules prohibit the 747 and an orbiter from flying in rain, or through clouds.

Endeavour landed at Edwards after stiff crosswinds and approaching thunderstorms prompted NASA to forego two landings opportunities at KSC. The shuttle touched down on Runway 4 at Edwards, winding up a mission to equip the International Space Station for crews of six.

ABOUT THE IMAGE: Click to enlarge and save the NASA image of United Space Alliance technicians mounting an aerodynamic tailcone on the aft end of Endeavour. You can also click the enlarged image for an even bigger view. The tailcone reduces aerodynamic drag on the shuttle's 747 carrier aircraft and the orbiter during crosscountry trips back to Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas.