spacetoday.net: Shuttle cleared for Monday launch attempt

Shuttle cleared for Monday launch attempt

Posted: Mon, Apr 8, 2002, 10:21 AM ET (1421 GMT)
STS-110 patch (NASA)

Technicians completed repairs to a hydrogen vent line over the weekend, clearing the way for an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis Monday afternoon. Workers spent the weekend sealing a broken weld hydrogen vent line that ruptured during the fueling process for a launch attempt Thursday. With the repairs complete, NASA announced that the shuttle would lift off on mission STS-110 at 4:39:31 pm EDT Monday (2039:31 GMT), within a few minutes of predictions made by outside analysts based on the orbit of the International Space Station. The major concern for Monday's launch is the weather: there is a 40 percent chance of weather conditions, primarily high winds, prohibiting a launch attempt.