Folks, We Are Being Held on the Launch Pad Due to Meteors

The shuttle Endeavour’s mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope is the 59th shuttle flight, and like so many before it, this one was delayed before getting started. On this occasion, high crosswinds caused a one-day postponement. Fortunately, the astronauts on Endeavour — and all the other shuttles that have failed to go up on time — are always offered free lodging for a couple of nights.

DELAYED 41 missions

Reasons for Delays:

— Bad weather at launch or landing sites 31 instances

— Electronic, mechanical or propulsion problems 57 instances

— Miscellaneous problems* 18 instances

ESTIMATED COST OF ONE-DAY DELAY:

— When Large Fuel Tank Is Empty $250,000

— When Large Fuel Tank Has Been Filled $650,000

AVERAGE DELAY 25 DAYS

*(e.g., planes and ships in restricted zones, meteor shower, orbital path of Russian space station, problems with satellite cargoes, astronaut illness)