Space shuttle delayed

STS-122, the space shuttle mission that was planned to launch this past weekend, was delayed for at least several weeks due to engine cutoff sensors malfunctioning. The soonest we can expect to see another launch attempt is the first week of January. This mission is especially important because the Europeans will finally get their $2 billion Columbus lab installed on the International Space Station. That’s a pretty sharp piece of equipment, and they’ve been waiting years to get it up into space. It will do a lot of cool zero-gravity experiments, as well as help boost the ISS into higher orbit from time to time. (Because the ISS is in low-Earth orbit, a minor amount of atmospheric drag gradually slows it down and causes it to lose altitude).

I expect to make another more in-depth post, either later today or tomorrow. Stay tuned.