Atlantis Now Blasts Off At 10:19 P.M. ET On Oct. 14, While Endeavour Will Launch At 7:07 P.M. ET Nov. 16, NASA Announces

NASA delayed its next two space shuttle launches by four days each, because Hurricane Ike forced Johnson Space Center to close for several days.

The new target launch date for Space Shuttle Atlantis sees it lifting off on its STS-125 Mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope at 10:19 p.m. ET Oct. 14, instead of on Oct. 10.

A news conference is scheduled for Friday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to announce an official launch date.

Similarly, Space Shuttle Endeavour will soar on its STS-126 Mission to supply the International Space Station at 7:07 p.m. ET Nov. 16, instead of Nov. 12.

The target launch date adjustments were made last week during the Space Shuttle Program Flight Readiness Review.

Both of the shuttles now are poised for launch, Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy, while Endeavour stands at Launch Pad 39B. In case Atlantis encounters significant trouble on its mission to refurbish the Hubble, Endeavour could blast off and race to the rescue.

Detailed assessments on the shuttle launch dates were presented by mission operations, flight crew operations, and training divisions affected by the closure of Johnson.

While vehicle processing at Kennedy continues on schedule, the lost week of training and mission preparation the storm caused led to the decision to slip the dates.

The news conference Friday will follow the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for the STS-125 mission to Hubble, and will begin no earlier than 4 p.m. ET.

Briefing participants are:

• Associate NASA Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier
• Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, Science Mission Directorate, Mike Luther
• Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon
• STS-125 Launch Director Ed Mango