Space mission: NASA delays ‘Endeavour’ launch

Nasa says delay to avoid a conflict with Russian capsule's arrival at ISS.

WASHINGTON: Nasa on Monday said it will delay the shuttle Endeavour’s launch by 10 days, setting a new date for April 29 to avoid a conflict with a Russian capsule’s arrival at the International Space Station.

The new launch time is tentatively set for 1947 GMT on Friday, April 29. “The delay removes a scheduling conflict with a Russian Progress supply vehicle scheduled to launch April 27,” NASA said. Nasa managers will convene to discuss flight readiness on April 19, the date the shuttle was initially set to fly, and will officially choose the launch date at the end of the meeting.

Discovery became the first of the three-member US shuttle fleet to retire after its last mission to the ISS ended in March.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2011.