Shuttle Launch Delayed due to Storm

via Space.com
Tropical Storm Ernesto may cause the shuttle Atlantis to be taken off the launch pad and rolled back into the protection of its massive hanger. The fear is the storm could possibly strengthen to a hurricane as strong as category three by the time it reaches Florida. 40 knot winds are already making their presence felt at the Cape, and crews are already involved in removing the liquid rocket propellent from the orbiter's fuel tanks.

Earlier launch attempts were placed on hold due to an electrical strike Friday. While all is not lost, the shuttle could only meet its launch window before Sep 7, which could be an issue if it is removed to the hanger. However, if Ernesto were to weaken or change course, their are two points where rollback procedures could be halted.

"If Ernesto weakens to the point Atlantis does not have to leave its launch pad, the shuttle could be primed for launch late this weekend, possibly by Sept. 3, NASA officials said. “If we actually roll back...we can’t get to a T-0 before Sept. 7,” STS-115 Mission Management Team (MMT) chairman LeRoy Cain said during the briefing. It would take eight days once Atlantis is returned to its launch pad, assuming no post-storm clean up or repairs at KSC are required, Leinbach added."

A decision on whether or not to rollback to the hanger will be made Tuesday morning. Complications have arisen with one of the crawlers used to transport the shuttle to the hanger, which could add three hours (see Mission Update section) to the proposed plan.