Booster Segments Slated To Fly Later This Year

The most earthbound of problems may add to more delays for NASA's stellar ambitions for 2007. On Wednesday, a train carrying segments of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters derailed in Alabama, injuring six people.

According to Florida Today, the train was heading from the Thiokol Corporation plant in Utah, to Kennedy Space Center. A car carrying one of the booster segments tipped onto its side.

The booster segments are slated to be used on the STS-120, set to transport the US Harmony module to the International Space Station onboard Discovery in October; and December's STS-122 launch of Atlantis, carrying the Columbus science module.

NASA spokesman Kyle Herring couldn't say whether the accident would delay those missions, adding officials are still studying the issue.

As Aero-News reported, a late-February hailstorm led to the delay of the first shuttle launch of 2007, now slated for no earlier than June. Despite the significant delay, NASA still hopes to launch four shuttle missions in 2007.

Authorities tell The Associated Press the derailment was caused by a collapsed bridge near Demopolis.

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.atk.com