Crack in Discovery shuttle threatens lift-off
Monday, 03 Jul 2006 17:55
Crack in Discovery shuttle threatens lift-off
Science In Focus
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A crack in the foam insulation covering the shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank could delay its already beleaguered flight schedule even further.
The crack was discovered near a bracket that holds the liquid oxygen feedline in place during a routine inspection overnight after the draining of the fuel tank.
Nasa's mission management team are now meeting to discuss the problem and to decide whether or not tomorrow's planned flight can go ahead.
Bad weather has already plagued the Discovery flight schedule; yesterday's planned take-off was grounded after showers and thunderstorms made it impossible. Tomorrow's flight, patriotically coinciding with America’s Independence Day, was scheduled for 14:38 EDT (21:38 BST), yet despite an improvement in conditions rain is still forecast.
The launch of Discovery would be just the second since the 2003 Columbia disaster, in which seven crew members died after insulating foam fell off the fuel tank and damaged the spacecraft's wing.
Last night’s discovery of the crack will come as a particular disappointment to Nasa, which has spent $1.3 billion in the past three years in an attempt to fix the foam problem.