NASA plans to try the sixth time early Wednesday evening to launch space shuttle Endeavour with seven astronauts on board, media reports said.
 |
|
Space shuttle Endeavour is pictured after mission managers scrubbed another launch attempt at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida July 13, 2009. Lightning strikes and thunderstorms near the seaside launch pad forced NASA on Monday to delay yet again the launch of shuttle Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station.[Xinhua] |
NASA has cancelled the launch of Endeavour for the fifth time Monday due to thunderstorms near the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission was postponed three times by thunderstorms and two times by hydrogen gas leaks.
NASA hopes the weather would finally cooperate Wednesday. Forecast shows the odds of good weather on Wednesday evening is 60 percent.
If the shuttle's sixth launch attempt failed, it would set the record.
 |
|
Space shuttle Endeavor sits on launch pad 39A with the crew aboard minutes before mission managers scrubbed the launch again at Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 13, 2009. Lightning strikes and thunderstorms near the seaside launch pad forced NASA on Monday to delay yet again the launch of shuttle Endeavour on a mission to the International Space Station.[Xinhua] |
The shuttle must be launched by Wednesday or it will have to wait for a Russian supply run to the International Space Station.
The mission of Endeavour is to deliver spare parts to the space station and a last segment of the Japanese Kibo lab.
(Xinhua News Agency via agencies July 15, 2009)
