Launch of Space Shuttle
Columbia was originally set to occur on Thursday,
Sept.
28, 1995. The count was halted during tanking
operations when a leak occurred around the main fuel
valve on main engine no. 1. Launch was postponed 7
days to replace the valve.
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Launch
was rescheduled for Thursday, Oct. 5.
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On Oct.
4, as Hurricane Opal approached the Florida panhandle,
managers determined the weather for tanking and a
launch attempt on Oct. 5 was sufficiently pessimistic
to warrant postponing launch for 24 hours.
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Launch
was rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 6.
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On Oct.
6, prior to tanking operations, engineers noticed
a problem with the no. 1 hydraulic system and managers
decided to scrub launch for 24 hours.
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Launch
was rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7.
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On Oct.
7, as the clock was counting toward the T-20 minute
hold, engineers determined the no. 1 master events
controller was not operating properly. Managers determined
the controller needed to be replaced and a scrub was
called at about 10 a.m. Launch was postponed
7 days.
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Launch
was rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14.
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The fifth postponement of mission STS-73 was made
on Oct.13.
Due to a crack found on the high pressure oxidizer
turbo pump discharge duct on a test engine at Stennis
Space Center, managers decided to postpone launch
24 hours for inspections to be conducted on Columbia’s
engines. Also, a faulty general purpose computer on
Columbia’s flight deck required replacing.
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Launch
was rescheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15.
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Launch was postponed on Oct.
15 at T-5 minutes due to low clouds and rain.
The countdown proceeded smoothly with no technical
issues. An additional hour was added to the hold at
T-3 hours and the crew entered the orbiter an hour
later in hopes of better weather at the end of the
launch period, which was extended to 1:35 p.m. The
scrub was called at 1:25 p.m.
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| Launch was rescheduled
for no early than Thursday, Oct. 19, depending on
the successful launch of an Atlas rocket on Oct. 17.
When Atlas scrubbed and made its second attempt on
Oct. 18, Columbia was rescheduled for Friday,
Oct. 20. |
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