NASA Postpones Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA postponed space shuttle Discovery's
launch to the International Space Station due to a hydrogen gas leak
detected while filling the external tank. The next launch attempt
could be no earlier than Monday, Nov. 8 at 12:53 p.m. EST.
The leak, detected early Friday morning while the shuttle's external
fuel tank was being loaded, was at the Ground Umbilical Carrier
Plate, or GUCP, an attachment point between the external tank and a
17-inch pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from Discovery
to the flare stack, where it is burned off.
NASA's mission managers will hold a meeting at 11 a.m. Friday to
discuss the repair options and Discovery's launch opportunities. A
news conference will air on NASA Television and the agency's website
no earlier than 1 p.m. with Mike Moses, Space Shuttle Program launch
integration manager and Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director.
If a Monday launch is not possible, the next window for Discovery's
liftoff is Nov. 30 through Dec. 5. The 11-day STS-133 mission will
deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the station. The
PMM, which was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module
Leonardo, will provide additional storage for the station crew and
experiments may be conducted inside it, such as fluid physics,
materials science, biology and biotechnology.
The flight also will transport critical spare parts and the Express
Logistics Carrier 4 (ELC4) to the station. ELC4 is an external
platform that holds large equipment. Robonaut 2, or R2, will be the
first human-like robot in space when it flies on Discovery inside the
PMM to become a permanent resident of the station. The mission will
feature two spacewalks to do maintenance work and install new components.
Commander Steve Lindsey leads the veteran crew, which includes Pilot
Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Tim Kopra, Michael
Barratt and Nicole Stott.
STS-133 is the final shuttle mission planned for 2010, Discovery's
39th flight and the 35th shuttle mission to the station.
For information about NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule
information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the STS-133 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Stott will send mission updates to her Twitter account:
http://www.twitter.com/astro_
For more information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
Source: NASA
