Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!harpo!eagle!alice!alb From: alb@alice.UUCP Newsgroups: net.columbia Subject: STS-7 Preparations Proceeding -- STS-10 may be Scrubbed Message-ID: <1920@alice.UUCP> Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 09:03:14 EDT Article-I.D.: alice.1920 Posted: Tue Jun 14 09:03:14 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jun-83 16:07:04 EDT Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill Lines: 14 Preparations for STS-7 were proceeding smoothly today, as technicians began pressurizing Challenger's fuel tanks and inspecting her thermal tile protection system. Meanwhile, NASA announced that STS-10, currently scheduled to launch this November, may be scrubbed due to a lack of payload. The Air Force, which had booked the flight to carry a classified satellite asked NASA to delete their payload from the manifest and schedule it on a later flight because of the still unresolved problems with the IUS that malfunctioned during STS-6. NASA said if it cannot find a payload to be moved up to STS-10 launch time, it will most probably scrub the launch. Twelve missions are planned for next year. STS-8 and STS-9, now scheduled for August and September of this year, are still on schedule.