Aresearch.150
net.columbia
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ihnss!mhtsa!research!sjb
Thu Nov 12 22:49:32 1981
query response
In-reply-to: ucbvax!ARPAVAX:glickman

In the beginning of the program, there were optimistic hopes
that eventually the turnaround time for one orbiter would be
as little as two weeks.  That has now been viewed as almost
impossible, leading to an estimate of at least a month.  The
third test flight is scheduled for March with the possibility
of one in the summer before the first operational flight, now
scheduled for September, 1982.  The Challenger, Columbia's
sister ship, is supposed to be completed by June, to fly in
1983.  When it goes into service, the Columbia will be briefly
sidelined so that some upgrading can be done to its systems.
The Discovery is due out of construction a year after Challenger,
with the Atlantis to follow a year later.  I had thought at one
point that there was going to be a fifth shuttle, the Explorer,
but have not heard anything about that.  Anyone have any information
on it?