From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!alice!sjb
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Title: Challenher Launch Date Still Hanging
Article-I.D.: alice.1363
Posted: Tue Jan  4 07:35:05 1983
Received: Wed Jan  5 00:57:32 1983

The date of the Challenger's first launch is still hanging in the
air, though officials are still aiming for 27 January.  It all
depends on when technicians find and correct a problem that allowed
hydrogen to leak into the Challenger's main engine compartments on
a test firing on 18 December.  NASA says they expect that process
to take about a week.

Meanwhile, workers prepared a 5000 pound communications satellite
to be carried into orbit by the Challenger.  After being ejected,
it will be carried into geosynchronous orbit to become a part of
NASA's new communications system (for the shuttle and other satellites).