A NASA security officer keeps guard as the space shuttle Atlantis rolls back from launch pad 39A to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs to the external tank at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida March 4, 2007.Atlantis' external tank was damaged during a hail storm February 26, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- NASA Shuttle Mission mangers announced on Wednesday that space shuttle Atlantis' external tank repair plan is still in development.

    "We wanted to make sure we didn't have unnecessary schedule pressure on us," said Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager, during an audio press briefing.

    "Our ultimate goal is to let the teams work and let the launch date fall out after that," Hale said

    At this time, no decision has been made about switching out the tank with a replacement, but there will be another briefing on April 10 when NASA officials will have enough data to decide whether to go with the current tank or switch to the new tank, NASA said in its website.

    A severe hailstorm sweeping through the Kennedy Space Center in Florida late last month caused thousands of dings on foam insulation on the fuel tank of the ship as it sat on a seaside launch pad.

    The space agency rolled back the shuttle to hangar for repair assessment and postpone the scheduled mid-March launch.

    Atlantis crew will continue training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as they await a new target launch date. This will be the first shuttle flight in 2007.