Three launches have slipped between one and three months in the latest Shuttle manifest, with Endeavour now being out of action until summer, 2007.
STS-116, STS-117 and STS-118 have all slipped on the PRCB CR S042013FP manifest, as NASA concentrates on achieving two ‘clean’ flights with Discovery and Atlantis this summer – before an exciting final few years of the Space Shuttle program, prior to retirement in 2010.
As confirmed after the previous manifest, Discovery new NET (No Earlier Than) launch date is July 1, with Atlantis supporting her sister’s test mission with a LON (Launch On Need) STS-300 NET date of August 4, to support CSCS (Contingency Shuttle Crew Support) requirements.
Atlantis’ processing is being targeted for an NET August 28 launch on STS-115, taking the P3/P4 truss elements uphill to the International Space Station (ISS). Discovery will support CSCS requirements with an STS-301 stand-by mission, with a NET date of November 11.
Changes in the manifest begin with Discovery’s second mission on the 17 flight manifest, STS-116. Previously slated as a NET November 16 launch date, the 12A.1 ISS assembly mission, carrying P5 and Spacehab-SM to the ISS, becomes the third and final mission of 2006, with a new NET date of December 14. 
That mission may also slip, with the opportunity to launch in December ranging over a period of just three to four days, added concerns over the current ET shipping projections from the Michoud Assembly Facility.
ET-94 was believed to be the tank that would fly with Discovery on STS-116, but that tank is being cannibalised for spare parts, including its vent and relief valve – currently being readied to replace the v/r valve in ET-119 at KSC. ET-120, currently a test article after it was swapped out from launching with Discovery on last July’s STS-114, may now be the tank that will make up the STS-116 stack. ET-120’s PAL ramp was used for testing after hairline cracks were found – blamed to an extent on the two tanking tests that it underwent prior to STS-114.
Now moved into a busy 2007, STS-117 with Atlantis – carrying the S3/S4 elements to the ISS – moves more than three months down the manifest, from December 7, 2006, to NET March 22, 2007.
Despite the increased gap between Atlantis’ STS-115 and STS-117 missions, the SSPTS (Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System) modification still appears to be off the cards for Atlantis – unlike her two sisters – with no mention of the upgrade being added to the orbiter on the new manifest.
Also on the slip is Endeavour’s first mission since return to flight, STS-118, carrying S5 & Spacehab-SM & ESP3 to the ISS.
The youngest orbiter of the NASA fleet was set to make her return on March 15, 2007. However, this has moved into the summer, with a new NET date of June 14, 2007.
The full March 20th manifest and launch schedule is available for L2 members, with text launch run-down listed below. 1 – July 1, 2006 – STS-121 – ULF1.1 – Discovery – MPLM Leonardo
[August 4, 2006 – STS-300 – CSCS for STS-121 – Atlantis]
2 – August 28, 2006 – STS-115 – 12A – Atlantis – P3/P4
[November 11, 2006 – STS-301 – CSCS for STS-115 – Discovery]
3 – December 14, 2006 – STS-116 – 12A.1 – Discovery – P5 & Spacehab-SM
4 – March 22, 2007 – STS-117 – 13A – Atlantis – S3/S4
5 – June 14, 2007 – STS-118 – 13A.1 – Endeavour – S5 & Spacehab-SM & ESP3
6 – TBD – STS-120 – 10A – Discovery – Node 2
7 – TBD – STS-122 – 1E – Atlantis – Columbus
8 – TBD – STS-123 – 1J/A – Endeavour – JEM ELM PS & SPDM9 – TBD – STS-124 – 1J – Discovery – JEM PM & JEM RMS
10 – TBD – STS-119 – 15A – Atlantis – S6
11 – TBD – STS-125 – HST SM-04 – Endeavour
12 – TBD – STS-126 – ULF2 – Discovery – MPLM Leonardo
13 – TBD – STS-127 – 2J/A – Atlantis – JEM EF & JEM ELM ES Kibo
14 – TBD – STS-128 – 17A – Endeavour – MPLM Donatello & 6 person ISS crew
15 – TBD – STS-129 – ULF3 – Discovery – EXPRESS 1 & 2
16 – TBD – STS-130 – 19A – Endeavour – MPLM Donatello
17 – TBD – STS-131 – ULF4 (CLF) – Discovery – EXPRESS 3 & 4
18 – TBD – STS-132 – 20A – Endeavour – Node 3 & Cupola
19 – TBD – STS-133 – ULF5 (CLF) – Discovery – EXPRESS 5 & 6
