spacetoday.net: Overseas weather scrubs shuttle launch

Posted: Sat, Nov 23, 2002, 12:02 AM ET (0502 GMT)
STS-113 pach (NASA)

The launch of the space shuttle Endeavour was delayed 24 hours Friday night because of poor weather at two transatlantic landing sites. NASA had hoped to launch Endeavour on mission STS-113 at 8:15 pm EST Friday (0115 GMT Saturday), and weather conditions at the Cape were excellent and no technical problems were reported. However, the two landing sites that would be used for transatlantic abort scenarios, in Moron and Zaragosa, Spain, had clouds and rain that prohibited their use. Thus, with no transatlantic abort sites available, NASA scrubbed the launch at the T-9 minute mark. NASA has rescheduled the launch for Saturday at 7:50 pm EST (0050 GMT Sunday), but the weather in Spain is forecast to continue to be poor.