Astronaut and York alumnus Steve MacLean’s long wait to return to space will be just a little longer after concerns about Tropical Storm Ernesto cancelled the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis over the weekend. A new launch date has not been set.
Left: Astronaut Steve MacLean, at work before his return to space, will have to wait a little longer
Shuttle managers meeting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida instructed launch teams Tuesday to roll Atlantis off its launch pad and back inside the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Ernesto is forecast to pass near Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday afternoon.
MacLean (BSc ’77, PhD ’83, DSc (Hon.) ’93), who first flew on the shuttle in 1992, and the other members of the crew will study flight plans and spend time with their families.
For information about the STS-115 crew and its mission to the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle.