Posted on 07/06/2010 10:21:38 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
NASA managers July 1 decided to delay the last two missions of the space shuttle program to allow more time to prepare a final load of spare parts for the International Space Station.
To cover shuttle operating expenses beyond Sept. 30, NASA will dip into an expected $600-million cushion promised by legislators and tap savings that managers have been accruing from the program’s roughly $200 million monthly allotments.
If schedules hold, Discovery will lift off at 4:33 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1 with a load of station space parts and other equipment inside the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, which is being modified to remain permanently attached to the space station as a storage pod.
A previously requested launch date of Oct. 29 posed scheduling conflicts with station operations as well as for the 45th Space Wing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which provides tracking and range safety services for shuttle launches.
“There’s so much traffic around the station it ultimately made the most sense to pick Nov. 1,” said NASA spokesman Kyle Herring.
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
Does the delay make Muslim’s feel better about themselves? That’s the real test.
Waiting for the Carpetjocks to finish praying. Can you hide a bomb in a flightsuit?
Ping
Sniff...Do I smell racism??? Where are the Muslims involved in this? Why are they excluded?
They needed more time to put some tiles in the shape of a crescent and star on the shuttle.
Or they needed to figure out a way for astronauts to bow toward Mecca when they are orbiting at 10,000 mph. OR they have to figure out a way to get prayer rugs to stay in one place. OR they have to recruit some islamic astronauts.... educate them... train them... and then persuade their Imam to let them spend a week in space with American infidels.
When I first read of Bolden’s remarks, I thought it was satire. What has happened to us?
There have been engineering issues relating to one of the devices the shuttle is to deliver, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. The projected/revised delivery date would occur at a time when the shuttle cannot launch (beta angle cutout). After that, traffic at station would prohibit launch until February 2011. The potential for delay has been known for a couple of months now.
Well, that’s quite a tinker toy!
I was told about this back in May by one of the NASA employees on Twitter, they are very helpful. The whole too-much-traffic-at-the-Station thing is so funny to me.
It has a really improtant mission.The AMS-02 will use the unique environment of space to advance knowledge of the Universe and lead to the understanding of its origin by searching for antimatter, dark matter and measuring cosmic rays
Pausing work during Ramandan no doubt.
They need to find some Muslims that contributed to the project before they launch.
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