spacetoday.net: Shuttle return to flight delayed

Posted: Wed, Sep 17, 2003, 1:27 PM ET (1727 GMT)
STS-105 launch (NASA/KSC)

NASA officials said Tuesday that the shuttle would not return to flight in March as the agency has been planning, with a midsummer launch more likely. Shuttle program manager William Parsons said a "slow and easy" approach to preparing the shuttle for flight, including implementing recommendations made last month by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, means that a planned launch in March or April or 2004 won't take place. Parsons declined to specify a new launch date, saying it was too early to commit to launch dates in May or June. When the shuttle does fly, the agency plans to conduct two test flights — one more than previously announced by NASA — to test shuttle inspection and repair techniques before the shuttle resumes its work to assemble and supply the International Space Station. Officials did say that one of the CAIB's recommendations, the ability to repair damaged RCC panels in orbit, likely won’t be ready by the next shuttle flight, because of the difficulties engineers have found with developing materials that can repair large breaches in the panels like the one that resulted in the loss of Columbia.