Misalignment of Shuttles’ Fuel Tanks Studied

NASA engineers are focusing on a small misalignment of fuel tanks and spacecraft on two space shuttles as they search for the cause of hydrogen leaks that have grounded the shuttle fleet.

The problem is throwing the shuttle schedule into disarray and threatens to postpone at least two missions this summer, officials said Monday.

Most of the 35 orbiter-tank combinations flown so far have had some misalignments, but the two found in the shuttles with the leaks are the largest to date, spaceflight director William B. Lenoir said.

Lenoir said the leak problem--which shows up while the tank is being filled with supercold liquid hydrogen a few hours before flight--must be fixed within a few weeks to keep NASA anywhere near its ambitious flight schedule.

NASA’s science chief, Lennard Fisk, sought to put a brighter view on NASA’s other headache, the faulty mirror on the $1.5-billion Hubble Space Telescope that prevents the accurate focusing that scientists need.

NASA is consulting with experts in image processing--using technology to enhance pictures received from the telescope.

“There is growing optimism that we will be successful,” Fisk said. “Six months from now, a year from now, I expect you all to ooh and aah over the picture that Hubble is going to produce.”