Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!ukc!stl!stc!axion!sjeyasin
From: sjeyasin@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk (swaraj jeyasingh)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: STS numbers
Message-ID: <821@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk>
Date: 18 Jan 89 09:43:17 GMT
References: <5273@whuts.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@axion.bt.co.uk
Reply-To: sjeyasin@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk
Lines: 23

From article <5273@whuts.ATT.COM>, by sw@whuts.ATT.COM (WARMINK):
> Perhaps I'm missing something, but why are the STS flight numbers not sequential?
> Historical reasons?
> -- 

They are not really. They only turn out that way !
What I guess happens is that missions, payloads and crews are assigned
a STS number well in advance and that is then fixed. But the designated
launch date may slip (due to any number of reasons) or be moved forward.
Rather than resdesignate numbers, the mission is simply moved. Hence the
STS *mission* numbers appear as non-sequential *flight* numbers.


If you think that's confusing, remember what it was like pre-Challenger!
i.e STS-51L

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Swaraj Jeyasingh   (sjeyasin@axion.bt.co.uk)   (0473 - 646082)
British Telecom Research Labs
Ipswich IP5 7RE
UK