After continuing problems with a set of malfunctioning fuel gauges, NASA has decided to put off this week's scheduled launch of the Atlantis shuttle at least until January.
Originally slated for Thursday afternoon, the take-off had been repeatedly pushed back, until the space agency finally decided Sunday to wait until early January. On Thursday, three of four fuel gauges had failed, a problem that has popped up several times in the past. An attempt to refill the shuttle's fuel tanks Sunday morning resulted in a recurrence of the problem, with a single device this time, for reasons that remain unclear.
Officials hope the problem can be identified and solved while the shuttle is on the launch pad. If so, it could take off as early as
Jan. 2, but if more extensive work needs to be done, the launch could be delayed significantly longer.
The Atlantis mission is aimed at ferrying the European Columbus science lab to the International Space Station, where it will be attached and ultimately used to host a wide range of experiments in weightlessness, exobiology, and other issues.
Launch Targeted for Jan. 2 [NASA]
(Image: The Atlantis shuttle waiting for launch at the Kennedy Space Center. Credit: NASA/George Shelton)
