Shuttle Endeavour on the launchpad shortly after the RSS had been retracted. Image: Nancy Atkinson
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The launch of space shuttle Endeavour was scrubbed about 9 minutes before the scheduled 4:39 am EST (9:49 GMT) liftoff due to low clouds that moved into the area. Mission managers have scheduled space shuttle Endeavour’s next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST (9:14 GMT)
The Mission Management Team will meet at 6:15 p.m. Sunday to give the “go” to fill Endeavour’s external fuel tank with propellants. Tank loading will begin at 6:45 p.m.
The launch of the Solar Dynamic Observatory has subsequently been moved one day forward, and is now scheduled for Feb. 10 at 10:26 am EST.
“We tried really, really hard to work the weather,” said Launch Director Mike Leinbach to the crew when the decision had been made to scrub the launch. “It was just too dynamic. We got to feeling good there at one point and then it filled back in and we just were not comfortable launching a space shuttle tonight. So, we’re going to go into a 24-hour scrub. Thank you all for the efforts you all put in tonight. We’ll see you back again tomorrow night and we hope the weather’s a little bit better.”
“And Mike from Endeavour, we understand and we’ll give it another try tomorrow night,” STS-130 Commander George Zamka replied.
Nancy Atkinson and Ken Kremer will provide full coverage of both launches and missions –no matter how many attempts it takes! So stay with Universe Today!
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