SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2003
DELAY. Officials have delayed the launch of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity" so workers can replace insulation of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket that will propel the spacecraft to the Red Planet.
The launch from pad 17B at Cape Canaveral has been scheduled for early Thursday, June 26. But the unplanned job of removing and replacing a band of protective cork insulation on the rocket's first stage will delay the liftoff until Saturday evening, June 28.
The available launch times are 11:56:16 p.m. EDT and 12:37:59 a.m. EDT (0356:16 and 0437:59 GMT on the 29th)
"The Flight Readiness Review was held today for the MER-B launch of the "Opportunity" Mars Exploration Rover. Afterward, a decision was made to postpone the launch by at least a couple of days," NASA said in a statement.
"Based on routine post-test inspections, the launch team has elected to remove and replace a band of protective cork insulation on the Delta first stage. The location is below the forward attach points of the strap-on solid rocket boosters. Inspections of a second band located higher on the first stage are being performed.
"The time necessary to do this work means a rescheduling of the launch to no earlier than Saturday, June 28 at 11:56:16 p.m. EDT. A firm date will be established on Monday after the engineering team reconvenes."
cork insulation
Cork insulation? TREE BARK??? This cost-cutting is getting out of hand... :-)
