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From: alb@alice.UUCP (Adam L. Buchsbaum)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Launch Rescheduled
Message-ID: <3996@alice.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 16:59:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: alice.3996
Posted: Mon Jul 15 16:59:37 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 06:29:54 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 19

Workers today replaced the faulty valve in the Challenger's
Number 2 Engine and rescheduled its launch for 1500 EDT, 29
July.  That could be changed by two days either way.  The
change in schedule maintains a 24 August launch date for
the Discovery but pushes a test firing of Atlantis' main engines
from 30 July to 12 September.  Atlantis' maiden launch,
originally scheduled for 19 September now slips to late
September or early October.  Challenger's 30 October launch
was moved to early November, but the 27 November Atlantis
and 20 December Columbia flights are preserved.  If the problem
with Challenger turns out to be more severe than the one
suspected, its mission may be delayed until next year; as
a purely scientific flight, it has lower priority than
commericial and DoD flights.

A second launch pad, 39B, will become available at KSC in
January, helping NASA to meet its tight schedule.  Also next
year will be the first launch from VAFB, scheduled for March;
the Discovery is expected to be assigned there permanently.