On 06 Oct 2003 02:03:41 GMT, (TKalbfus) wrote:

As recently as last month, the agency hoped to fly again by next spring.
But on Friday, William Readdy, associate administrator for spaceflight
for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said the new
target date was more realistic, given the amount of testing and
modifications that still needed to be done.

Procrastination time is here again! Delay, Delay, Delay, and Delay.

I have to admit, I don't understand why inspecting Atlantis' nose cap
is going to take 11 months.

Yeah what's the hurry! With 3 flights a year, NASA is going to waist 2 of them
on test flights. This is a terrible Joke! By the time NASA finishes its space
station with the stupid shuttle.

The first flight will deliver over 10,000 lbs of desperately needed
cargo to the Space Station, plus a replacement CMG. That's hardly a
waste. The second flight will most likely be similar, adding the crew
exchange as well.

China will have launched two. NASA seems to
think that finishing an antique space station in 3 or 4 decades is the same as
finishing the station in 1. Some projects after so many delays just aren't
worth continuing. Seems worthwhile to look at developing alternative vehicles
rather than fixing the shuttle

They're doing both.

Brian