NASA Postpones Shuttle Launch, Crews To Repair Hail Damage To External Fuel Tank

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – NASA on Tuesday postponed next month’s launch of space shuttle Atlantis so that repairs can be made to damage from a hail storm that left hundreds of small dents on the spacecraft’s external fuel tank and on a wing.

The launch, which had been set for March 15, was pushed back to at least late April.

NASA technicians planned to move the orbiter back to a giant hanger to examine the damage and decide if repairs can be made at the Kennedy Space Center.

The storm Monday evening passed over the launch pad where Atlantis was being prepared for a March 15 launch. The hail also hit protective tiles on the shuttle’s wing.

NASA also has another external fuel tank at Kennedy Space Center that is being readied for a mission in June. The damage is concentrated in the upper third of the enormous external tank, a section which holds liquid oxygen propellant.

Russia plans to launch a Soyuz vehicle to the international space station in early April. NASA managers had already planned to start a two-day meeting Tuesday at the Kennedy Space Center to determine whether there were any problems that would prevent Atlantis from launching as planned.

In 1999, hail from a storm made 650 divots in space shuttle Discovery’s external tank, forcing NASA to delay a launch and return the spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Hail also hit the external tank of space shuttle Atlantis in 1990, causing minor damage.

The insulating foam on the external tank is of special concern to NASA since foam flew off space shuttle Columbia during lift off in 2003 and struck the orbiter. The damage allowed fiery gases to penetrate Columbia during re-entry, breaking up the craft and killing its seven astronauts.

NASA redesigned the external tank, removing large amounts of foam, before last year’s three successful shuttle missions. The space agency plans another design change to the tank before the shuttle program ends in 2010.

During their 11 days in space, Atlantis’ astronauts will deliver a 35,000-pound addition, the heaviest ever, along with a new pair of solar arrays.

Crew members will unfurl the solar arrays, fold up an old pair and conduct at least three spacewalks.

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press Writer

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-02-27-07 1123EST