Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-21-2007 05:12 PM               

---

NASA managers have set April 10 as a decision date in regards to flying STS-117 with an external tank repaired due to hail damage or swapping it for the tank originally intended to launch STS-118. The new tank arrives at Kennedy Space Center on April 10 and the results of repair tests are expected a few days before.

In the meantime, repairs to the current tank will continue.

According to Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale, should they decide to fly with a repaired tank, they may still be able to launch STS-117 before the end of the May window. If they decide to swap tanks, the launch will move to June, a difference of approximately three weeks.