Jul 31 1980
From The Space Library
Following an intensive review of the Space Shuttle program over the past few weeks, NASA confirmed a decision made earlier in 1980 to schedule the first Shuttle launch in March 1981. NASA administrator. Dr. Robert A. Frosch said the decision was made in spite of a potential setback when fire damaged a Shuttle engine cluster during a test [see July 14]. A study of the engine fire and its possible impact had already begun but would not impede the effort to maintain the launch schedule. The decision to commit to a March launch came after a series of meetings in which NASA and contractor personnel examined the status of hardware and software required for the first flight.
On the 15-week work schedule from rollout to launch, Frosch said that experience of previous "first launches of new vehicles" showed that original schedules were seldom carried out in the time planned, but "the best chance of the earliest successful first flight comes in working to a tight but achievable work schedule." (NASA Release 80-122; MSFC Release 80-102)
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