NASA revises shuttle launch schedule

Cape Canaveral, Fla -- The U.S. space agency says it has revised two launch dates for 2008 space shuttle missions.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials said the liftoff of shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is targeted for Oct. 8, while Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has been moved from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10.

The final servicing mission to Hubble was moved from Aug. 28 due to a delay in deliveries of components, including the external fuel tanks and the need to prepare Endeavour for a possible rescue mission approximately two weeks after STS-125 launches.

NASA said flights beyond STS-126 will be assessed at a later date.

NASA shuttle program managers also have decided Atlantis will be assigned two additional flights after the Hubble mission in order to more efficiently fly the remaining shuttle flights using the three orbiters in sequence.

The shuttle launch manifest is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.