A sudden hailstorm yesterday has caused damage to the Shuttle’s External Tank. This will push the launch of STS-117 back at least a month. NASA reports…
Atlantis to Roll Back
A view of the external tank with hail marks. Photo credit: NASA/KSC
+ View Photo Gallery02.27.07 - 4:15 p.m. EST
NASA officials have announced that Space Shuttle Atlantis will roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair after Monday’s hail storm.“This constitutes the worst damage from hail that we have seen on external tank foam,” said Wayne Hale, manager of the Space Shuttle Program.
Hale said that a number of areas need to be repaired and are not accessible at the launch pad.
The vehicle’s slow journey back to the Vehicle Assembly Building will take place over the weekend or early next week. This will give the technicians an opportunity to give the space shuttle an intensive look at the damage and evaluate what it will take to repair it.
“It will be about a month before we can talk about heading back to the launch posture,” said Hale, “given the repair schedule and the ISS requirements.
