STS-125 delayed until Sunday, NASA gets new boss

William Atkins
Saturday, 23 May 2009 19:54

Science - Space

NASA announced on Saturday, May 23, 2009 that space shuttle Atlantis and its STS-125 crew will try to land at the Kennedy Space Center on Sunday after weather stopped any Saturday tries. That same day, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will name former NASA astronaut Charles Bolden to head the U.S. space agency.



STS-125 LANDING

With the NASA space shuttle Atlantis flying overhead in its orbit about the Earth, Norm Knight, STS-125 entry flight director, waved off any attempt to land the shuttle on Saturday, May 23.

Six landing opportunities existed for Saturday but a poor weather forecast forced the cancelation of any landing on that day.

Weather continues to be a major problem in the skies over Cape Canaveral in Florida. However, weather over California at Edwards Air Force Base, the primary backup site, is excellent for Sunday or Monday, if necessary.

In fact, Greg Johnson, the CAPCOM (capsule communicator) for the mission, stated, "There's a chance for a landing at Kennedy tomorrow, and we're going to keep that option open. Edwards remains good for tomorrow and Monday, if needed." [NASA: “Saturday Landing Opportunities Waved Off”]

On Sunday, May 24, the first opportunity to land at a runway at the NASA Kennedy Space Center is at 10:11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Sunday’s landing opportunities (EDT times) are:

1.    10:11 a.m. Orbit 196 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 8:58 a.m.)

2.    11:40 a.m. Orbit 197 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 10:25 a.m.)

3.    11:49 a.m. Orbit 197 landing at Kennedy (deorbit burn at 10:31 a.m.)

4.    1:19 p.m. Orbit 198 landing at Edwards (deorbit burn at 12:08 p.m.)

Page two continues with weather forecasts for Florida and California.