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| Image above: Space Shuttle Discovery awaits launch
on Pad 39B. Image Credit: NASA |
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Ham radio trio's launch postponed until Saturday
NASA managers postponed Thursday's space shuttle launch until Saturday
because of low cloud cover over the launch site.
Earlier in the day a cold front moved in over the spaceport, bringing
clouds and winds into the area. The cloud ceiling proved to be too low
for a safe launch, prompting NASA to postpone Discovery's flight
Friday's weather is not expected to be favorable for a launch attempt
but mission managers believe conditions will improve by the weekend. Launch
of Discovery is now scheduled for 8:47 p.m. EST Dec. 9.
During STS-116, the astronauts will deliver and install a girder-like
structure, known as the P5 truss, aboard the station. The 4,000-pound
component will make possible future installation of solar arrays. The
crew will also reconfigure the station's electrical and cooling systems
from temporary to permanent mode.
Discovery's crew is Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Bill Oefelein and
mission specialists Bob Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick,
KD5PKY, Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, and Christer Fuglesang, KE5CGR/SA0AFS,
a European Space Agency astronaut.
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