NATION : Shuttle Mission Put Off to Jan. 8
NASA today put off this week’s launch of space shuttle Columbia on a satellite rescue mission until Jan. 8 to allow more time to prepare the troubled launch pad and to let workers go home for the holidays.
The main issue was behind-schedule work at a renovated launch pad that has not been used for nearly four years. The lag earlier caused two short postponements of the mission, which is to deploy one satellite and retrieve another that is falling to Earth.
NASA had said Saturday that Thursday’s liftoff date was no longer achieveable, but that if good progress were to be made over the weekend, liftoff of Columbia with five astronauts could be reset for Friday or Saturday.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
