Endeavour's Launch Delayed 24 Hours... At Least

There's an old line that goes... if it wasn't for bad luck, certain folks would have no luck at all. We're pretty sure that's how the crew of STS-127 must be feeling at the moment.

Space shuttle Endeavour’s launch has been delayed 24 hours to allow technical teams additional time to evaluate lightning strikes at Launch Pad 39A that occurred during Friday's thunderstorm. Current reports indicate that at least one of the Orbiter's electrical busses appears to have registered high electrical inputs that may have been the result of an actual strike. According to a press conference conducted just minutes ago, no decision will be made today, Saturday, as to the Shuittle's suitability for a Sunday launch.

The 16-day mission will feature five spacewalks and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.

The STS-127 crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Dave Wolf, Christopher Cassidy, Tom Marshburn, Tim Kopra and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette. Kopra will join the space station crew and replace Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata will return to Earth on Endeavour to conclude a three-month stay at the station.

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYHY_BVj1Xo