NOTE: Yesterday afternoon, Shuttle managers reviewed the progress of ongoing wiring inspections and repairs to orbiters Endeavour and Discovery and adjusted the planning date for launch of the next Space Shuttle mission to no earlier than Nov. 19. Managers also decided to preserve the option to launch either STS-99, the Space Radar Topography Mission or STS-103, the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 3A, as the next flight.

Although a few work days at the Kennedy Space Center were lost due to Hurricane Floyd, the primary rationale for adjusting the planning launch dates are the continuing inspections and repairs of electrical wiring. Technicians are still in the midst of conducting the work on Endeavour and Discovery, including inspections of wiring located under the liner of the payload bay that were added to the plans earlier this month. Managers plan to meet again next week to further review the progress of the work and possibly set new target launch dates.

Managers also conducted a comprehensive review of the electrical wiring on other Shuttle components, including the solid rocket boosters, external tank and main engines, and found no need for further inspections of those components.

NOTE: Orbiter Atlantis remains inside Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 2, awaiting the departure of Shuttle Columbia from OPF bay 3. Managers plan to move Atlantis to the OPF next week. While in the VAB, Atlantis has undergone midbody wire inspections. Further wire inspection and repair will be conducted in the OPF.

NOTE: Orbiter Columbia’s departure for Palmdale, CA has been delayed as a result of Hurricane Floyd’s threat and KSC’s mandatory evacuation. Final preparations for the cross-country ferry flight are under way and managers plan to move Columbia to the Mate/Demate Device at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Friday. Columbia will be mounted atop NASA’s modified Boeing 747 on Sept. 24 and departure is currently slated for Sept. 25. An overnight stop at Luke Air Force Base is currently scheduled to accommodate refueling requirements for the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Current plans have Columbia arriving in Palmdale, CA on Sept. 26. Because the orbiter can not be flown through precipitation of any kind, ferry flight plans are contingent upon weather conditions in the flight path.

Information about the countdown and mission can be accessed electronically via the Internet at: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/ and at http://shuttle.nasa.gov/