NASA delays launch of shuttle to Jan. 10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA on Thursday delayed the launch of space shuttle Atlantis to Jan. 10 to give workers time off at Christmas.

After back-to-back delays caused by errant fuel gauges, shuttle managers had been targeting a liftoff no earlier than Jan. 2.

“Moving the next launch attempt of Atlantis to Jan. 10 will allow as many people as possible to have time with family and friends at the time of year when it means the most,” shuttle program manager Wayne Hale said in a statement.

Launch attempts on Dec. 6 and 9 were scuttled late in the countdown after some of the hydrogen fuel gauges in Atlantis’ external fuel tank failed. The gauges are part of a backup safety system to keep the main engines from running on an empty tank, a potentially catastrophic situation.