Space shuttle engineers will spend the next two months trying to min-imize the threat from ice falling off the external tank, opting for safety over schedule as they work to reactivate the stalled human space-flight program. By delaying launch of the space shuttle Discovery from May 22 until the July 13-31 window, agency managers underscored how critical a successful return to flight is for the agency's long-range human exploration plans. During the extra time, the agency will decide whether to install additional heaters on and around Discovery's external tank to thwart ice buildup and troubleshoot two other anomalies that cropped up when the tank was filled with propellant in a test at Launch Complex 39B (AW&ST Apr. 25, p. 49).
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