NASA rolls out new shuttle launch schedule

NASA unveiled a new launch schedule today that calls for eight shuttle missions in 2009 and 2010 and 10 overall before the nation's three-orbiter fleet is retired.

The last of the missions now is slated to launch May 31, 2010 -- which would leave enough time to launch an extra mission if Congress calls on NASA to fly a particle physics experiment to the International Space Station before the end of fiscal 2010.

As it stands, the schedule calls for seven flights to complete construction of the International Space Station, two contigency flights to outfit the outpost with large spare parts and the upcoming Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.