Space Shuttle Landing Delayed By Unidentified Flying Object In Space
Posted September 19, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
But it’s not a flying saucer or some E.T. contact that’s made NASA change its plans.
Instead it’s something they can’t identify floating in the void near the craft and the international space station.
Engineers spotted some kind of foreign object they believe flew out of the shuttle’s cargo bay during the ship’s landing preparations. Until they can figure out what it is and how vital it may be to the giant rocket’s safe operation, they’ll leave the astronauts – including Canada’s own Steve MacLean – right where they are.
The scrubbing also takes into account the iffy weather in Florida, with experts waiting for clear skies before bringing the big bird in for a landing. It’s expected Atlantis will rise again on Thursday, after officials have had time to take all the telemetry they need to make sure all systems are go.
They’ll be scouring detailed photographs of the ship’s cargo bay to try and determine what happened.
And while it’s a tall order, it may not be quite as impossible as it seems. CityNews Science and Technology Specialist David Onley says every single component of the shuttle – right down to each nut and bolt – is numbered so NASA can account for anything that might go missing or malfunction.
