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Clouds Delay Last Nighttime Shuttle Launch

Endeavour now looks for liftoff early Monday

By the Associated Press

Posted Feb 7, 2010 6:00 AM CST
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(AP) – Clouds prevented space shuttle Endeavour from blasting off this morning on the last planned nighttime shuttle launch, delaying its trip with a final few building blocks for the International Space Station. Launch time was re-scheduled for 4:14am tomorrow. It's expected to be the last shuttle launch in darkness; only five shuttle missions remain.

"We tried really, really hard to work the weather. It was just too dynamic," launch director Mike Leinbach told the six astronauts aboard Endeavour. "We just were not comfortable with launching the space shuttle tonight." Endeavour is loaded with a new room for the ISS, as well as an observation deck that will make the orbiting complex 98% complete.

The astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour, clockwise from front left, commander George Zamka, mission specialists Kay Hire, Nicholas Patrick, Bob Behnken, Steve Robinson, and pilot Terry Virts.
The astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour, clockwise from front left, commander George Zamka, mission specialists Kay Hire, Nicholas Patrick, Bob Behnken, Steve Robinson, and pilot Terry Virts.   (John Raoux)
Mission specialists Bob Behnken, left, and Nicholas Patrick wave at the Operations and Check-Out Building at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.
Mission specialists Bob Behnken, left, and Nicholas Patrick wave at the Operations and Check-Out Building at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.   (Terry Renna)
Mission specialists Bob Behnken, Nicholas Patrick, Steve Robinson, Kay Hire, pilot Terry Virts, and commander George Zamka at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.
Mission specialists Bob Behnken, Nicholas Patrick, Steve Robinson, Kay Hire, pilot Terry Virts, and commander George Zamka at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.   (John Raoux)
Mission specialists Kay Hire and Bob Behnken walk out of the Operations and Check-Out Building at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.
Mission specialists Kay Hire and Bob Behnken walk out of the Operations and Check-Out Building at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010.   (Terry Renna)
Endeavour stands ready on launch pad 39A as preparations for its launch are finalized at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010.
Endeavour stands ready on launch pad 39A as preparations for its launch are finalized at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010.   (John Raoux)
Commander George Zamka, right, and Pilot Terry Virts, wave before entering the astrovan at the Operations and Check-Out Building in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sunday Feb. 7, 2010.
Commander George Zamka, right, and Pilot Terry Virts, wave before entering the astrovan at the Operations and Check-Out Building in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sunday Feb. 7, 2010.   (Marta Lavandier)
The astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour, clockwise from front left, commander George Zamka, mission specialists Kay Hire, Nicholas Patrick, Bob Behnken, Steve Robinson, and pilot Terry Virts.
The astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour, clockwise from front left, commander George Zamka, mission specialists Kay Hire, Nicholas Patrick, Bob Behnken, Steve Robinson, and pilot Terry Virts.   (John Raoux)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
JesusLovesSomeOfYou
Feb 7, 2010 12:32 PM CST
98% complete. Almost ready for its final nosedive in 2015.
finkster
Feb 7, 2010 6:46 AM CST
That wasn't clouds it was marijuana smoke from nature....she wasn't in the mood to be shot at.
RobN
Feb 7, 2010 6:32 AM CST
You'd think they'd only want to take-off during daylight hours so they can get better pictures of all the foam that keeps flying off.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

Science • US

 
NASA • space shuttle • Kennedy Space Center • clouds • International Space Station • Endeavour • Cape Canaveral • shuttle fleet • Space Shuttle Endeavour

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