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NASA Delays Launch of Atlantis Again

Faulty sensors push back date, possibly to next month

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 3, 2008 7:36 PM CST

(Newser) – NASA has again pushed back the launch of the shuttle Atlantis as it wrestles with faulty fuel sensors, Space.com reports. The shuttle will go up Jan. 24 at the earliest, with a more likely launch either Feb. 2 or 7. Atlantis is due to begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station, provided engineers can fix malfunctioning sensors that first delayed the mission last month.

"Everything has to go exactly right for us to make the 24th," said a flight manager, who expressed confidence that engineers have zeroed in on the problem. If the launch is delayed much longer, it will cause a chain reaction of delays for subsequent missions.

Space shuttle Atlantis sits on the launch pad after its mission was scrubbed last month at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Associated Press)

Space Shuttle Atlantis is seen on pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Sunday Dec. 9, 2007. NASA managers delayed the launch of Atlantis until January after a gauge in the fuel tank failed for the... (Associated Press)

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NASA Delays Launch of Atlantis Again

Faulty sensors push back date, possibly to next month

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Atlantis Docks a Final Time

Last shuttle mission cruising along smoothly

Shuttle Atlantis Lifts Off

Weather doesn't delay mission to international space station after all

Weather May Postpone Atlantis Launch

Blast-off tomorrow has 70% chance of being rained out: NASA

NASA Scraps Atlantis Launch

Problem with fuel tank sensors postpones mission until tomorrow

'Godspeed:' Atlantis Leaves ISS a Final Time

Shuttle takes unprecedented photos of space station on last return trip

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NASA Delays Launch of Atlantis Again

Faulty sensors push back date, possibly to next month

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

NASA • International Space Station • Atlantis Space Shuttle • shuttle • space shuttle launch

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Atlantis Docks a Final Time

Last shuttle mission cruising along smoothly

Shuttle Atlantis Lifts Off

Weather doesn't delay mission to international space station after all

Weather May Postpone Atlantis Launch

Blast-off tomorrow has 70% chance of being rained out: NASA

NASA Scraps Atlantis Launch

Problem with fuel tank sensors postpones mission until tomorrow

'Godspeed:' Atlantis Leaves ISS a Final Time

Shuttle takes unprecedented photos of space station on last return trip

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Newser By Users

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