Navigation Unit Trouble Delays Shuttle
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA called off the launch of the shuttle Columbia just hours before liftoff Saturday because of navigation system trouble.
Liftoff was rescheduled for 7:50 a.m. PDT Monday.
NASA’s previous attempt to launch Columbia on the German-sponsored research mission ended with an engine shutdown three seconds before liftoff last month.
This time, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration had not fueled Columbia, and the seven astronauts had not boarded. They were still asleep when the countdown was halted seven hours before the planned liftoff because of an intermittent power supply problem with one of three navigation units.
Technicians quickly replaced the faulty unit with a spare and began testing the new device.
Meteorologists said they expect a 90% chance of good launch weather Monday.
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