Dolores Beasley
Headquarters, Washington, DC                            June 4, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-1753)

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, FL
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

Susan Hendrix
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
(Phone: 301/286-7745)

Barron Beneski
Orbital Sciences Corporation
(Phone: 703/406-5528)

RELEASE: 01-112

PEGASUS/HESSI LAUNCH POSTPONED

 The launch of NASA's High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) 
spacecraft aboard an air-launched Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus 
XL launch vehicle scheduled for June 7 has been postponed.

Engineers are working to determine if there are any associated 
technical issues between the X-43A mission failure at Edwards Air Force 
Base, CA, which occurred Saturday, June 2, and the Pegasus XL vehicle 
awaiting launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.

A new launch date on or about June 12 is targeted. Orbital's L-1011 
aircraft, with the Pegasus/HESSI vehicle attached, will remain at Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station.

-end-