New Shuttle Launch Dates Announced

Flight STS-122, which will see the launch of the Columbus laboratory, one of Europe's major contributions to the International Space Station, is now due for launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre on 6 December 2007. The crew of the STS-122 mission includes ESA astronauts Hans Schlegel and Leopold Eyharts.

by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 18, 2007
NASA has announced a revised launch schedule for the upcoming Space Shuttle missions. The revised schedule follows a review of repairs to the insulation on the Shuttle's external fuel tank, which was damaged during a sudden hail storm over NASA's Florida launch site in February.

Repairs to the external fuel tank are expected to be ready for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-117 mission no earlier than 8 June 2007. The launch window for STS-117 extends to 18 July 2007.

The STS-118 mission - the second Space Shuttle flight of the year - is due to follow during a launch window that opens on 9 August 2007.

Originally scheduled for August, the STS-120 mission with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, which will also carry the Italian-built Node 2 connecting module into orbit, is now targeted for 20 October 2007.

Flights beyond April 2008 have not been assessed. Both shuttle and station program officials will continue to consider options for the remainder of the shuttle flights and those target launch dates are subject to change.

The shuttles for STS-120, 122 and 124 were exchanged to best meet the demands of the missions and to have the least amount of impact on the flight schedule.

Upcoming shuttle missions:
-STS-117 targeted for no earlier than June 8, 2007, on Atlantis
-STS-118 targeted for no earlier than Aug. 9, 2007, on Endeavour
-STS-120 targeted for no earlier than Oct. 20, 2007, on Discovery instead of Atlantis
-STS-122 targeted for no earlier than Dec. 6, 2007, on Atlantis instead of Discovery
-STS-123 targeted for no earlier than Feb. 14, 2008, on Endeavour
-STS-124 targeted for no earlier than April 24, 2008, on Discovery instead of Atlantis

SHUTTLE NEWS

NASA to launch Shuttle Atlantis as early as June

Washington (AFP) April 10, 2007
The US space agency said Tuesday it could launch the space shuttle Atlantis as early as June 8, after its takeoff was delayed last month following hail damage to the orbiter's external fuel tank.

ROCKET SCIENCE NASA Buys Abort Test Boosters for Orion Flight Tests Boeing Submits Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle Upper Stage Production Proposal KSC Hosts Private Jet Suborbital Pathfinder Flights SpaceX Completes Primary Structure Of The Falcon 9 First Stage Tank	LAUNCH PAD Russia Puts 16 Foreign Satellites Into Orbit Indian Space Agency Set For First Commercial Launch Of Foreign Satellite Russia To Launch Four US Satellites In May PSLV-C8 To Be Launched On April 23
SHUTTLE NEWS New Shuttle Launch Dates Announced NASA to launch Shuttle Atlantis as early as June Shuttle Assessments And Repair Work Ongoing NASA Assigns Crew For Shuttle Mission To Install Japanese Lab	STATION NEWS ISS Crew Landing Put Off To Avoid Spring Floods ISS Ready For Crew Change Over NASA Extends Contract With Russian Federal Space Agency The Race From Space
SPACE TRAVEL Facing Tanning Booth Cancer Risk Earth Magnetic Field A Hazard For Lunar Astronauts Merlin Secures NASA SEWP IV Contract With Potential Value Of Over USD 5 Billion Bill Gates Eyes Flight To Space	DRAGON SPACE Space Peonies Blooming In Heze China Launches Ocean Monitoring Satellite China To Pursue Space Instead Of Socialism China Outlines Space Program Till 2010
ROBO SPACE Boeing Orbital Express Conducts Autonomous Spacecraft-to-Spacecraft Fluid and Component Transfer Top Robotics Teams To Rack And Roll Atlanta Georgia Dome Assistive Robot Adapts To People And New Places Flexible Electronics Could Find Applications As Sensors And Artificial Muscles	MARSDAILY Dust Devils Whip By Spirit A Close Up Look At Martian Rocks From The Comfort Of Your Couch Investigating The Dark Streak Of Victoria Crater Report Reveals Likely Causes Of Mars Spacecraft Loss

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement