Leak May Delay Launch of Shuttle
- Share via
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA went ahead Saturday with preparations for the launch of the shuttle Discovery, while trying to resolve a leak that could delay the mission.
If repairs are needed, Discovery would have to be rolled back to its hangar, a move that would delay Thursday’s scheduled launch by about two weeks, space agency officials said.
The leak appears to be in a valve on a helium line, part of the plumbing of the steering system located in the orbiter’s aft end. A leak could overpressurize the system’s fuel tank and make it burst, a potentially catastrophic event.
The system will be pressurized and tested again early Monday, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration spokesman said.
On the third day of the five-day flight, the astronauts are scheduled to release a $500-million Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite that will study the fragile ozone layer shielding Earth against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
