STS-121: Will it launch on July 4th?
Posted By RichC on July 3, 2006
Nasa’s Space Shuttle program waits once again as the experts analyse new photos taken overnight of foam damage possibly due to rain water leaking near the fueling/defueling connection. If water was able to seep in and freeze to be warmed later by the daytime heat, that could be the reason for this small fracture. STS-121 has been delayed twice now and is waiting for a go signal in order to launch on July 4th.
The STS-121 mission is to head to the International Space Station (ISS) delivering a new ISS crew member, Thomas Reiter from Germany as well as test new safety and repair techniques on the Shuttle itself. This technique were developed following the Columbia disaster of February 2003. The Shuttle will also deliver supplies, equipment to the Space Station which has been recently supplied by an unmanned Russian space craft.
Due to weather conditions near Kennedy Space Center, the planned launch was scrubbed for Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2. The launch is currently scheduled for Tuesday, July 4, 2006 at 2:38 p.m. EDT.
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