STS-125: Hurricanes Delay Launch

Shuttle Atlantis is at launchpad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, but the recent hurricane closure of Houston's Johnson Space Center has caused delays in vital astronaut training, leading mission managers to slip the STS-125 launch date from October 10 to October 14 (targeted for 10:19 p.m. EDT). As a result, Endeavour (on pad 39B for an Atlantis contingency flight) will not launch on STS-126 until November 16 at 7:07 p.m. EST. The delays mean that both ships will be lifting off at night - something NASA was reluctant to do post-Columbia. NASA reports:

Atlantis Set for Payload; Astronauts Train for Spacewalk

Sept. 25, 2008
The STS-125 astronauts resumed training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where they continue to prepare for their mission to service NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. On Thursday, crew members practiced in the large Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory for the second spacewalk of the mission. Crew members capped off three days of prelaunch exercises at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday.

On Thursday night, the payload for the mission is set to be loaded into space shuttle Atlantis’ payload bay at Launch Pad 39A.

Image above: The STS-125 crew members line up outside the Astrovan after suiting up for the countdown dress rehearsal at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Mission Specialists Michael Good, Mike Massimino, Andrew Feustel, John Grunsfeld and Megan McArthur, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson and Commander Scott Altman. Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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The crew’s targeted launch date has been reset to Oct. 14 at 10:19 p.m. EDT. The adjustment was made Wednesday during the Space Shuttle Program's Flight Readiness Review, which concluded Thursday. The official launch date will be announced on Friday, Oct. 3 following the agency-level review. While vehicle processing at Kennedy continues on schedule, the lost week of training and mission preparation due to the impacts of Hurricane Ike on Johnson Space Center led to the decision.

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery. More preflight pics and video at KSC. Discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.