SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS001
ARLS001 NASA Delays Discovery's Trip to ISS

ZCZC AS01  
QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 001  ARLS001
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  March 12, 2009
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS001
ARLS001 NASA Delays Discovery's Trip to ISS

Due to a leak in the venting system outside the giant external fuel
tank, NASA has decided to postpone the launch of a space shuttle
headed to the International Space Station (ISS), originally
scheduled for 9:20 EDT on March 12. The launch has been rescheduled
for Sunday, March 15 at 7:43 PM EDT.

Discovery will carry a crew of seven astronauts, including Flight
Engineer Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA; Wakata is with the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA). He will stay on the ISS, replacing Flight
Engineer Sandra Magnus, KE5FYE, who will return home on Discovery.
Wakata is scheduled to return to Earth when Endeavour launches to
the ISS in June 2009; Flight Engineer Timothy Kopra, KE5UDN, will
replace Wakata.

Discovery's 14 day mission, which has four spacewalks scheduled,
will deliver the fourth and final set of solar array wings to the
ISS. With the completed array, the station is expected to be able to
provide enough electricity when the crew size is doubled to six in
May. The shuttle also will carry a replacement for a failed unit in
a system that converts urine to drinkable water.
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