spacetoday.net: Wiring problems delay shuttle launch until February

Posted: Tue, Jan 16, 2001, 8:16 AM ET (1316 GMT)
STS-98 mission patch

This Friday's launch of the shuttle Atlantis has been pushed back until at least early February to investigate potential wiring problems with the shuttle's solid rocket boosters. Concerns about the separation systems that jettison the SRBs from the external tank two minutes after launch caused NASA managers to delay the launch -- the countdown for which was scheduled to begin Tuesday -- and roll the shuttle back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for inspections. The SRBs had already been checked for wiring problems after a problem with the separation system was noticed during the launch of Endeavour in November; however, similar problems seen in other separations prompted the rollback and additional checks. If all goes well Atlantis will be moved to the VAB January 19 and back to the pad six days later, with February 6 the earliest possible launch attempt for mission STS-98.