NASA delays again launch of space shuttle Discovery

[News_Editor]

NASA delays again launch of space shuttle Discovery

2010-11-06 00:52:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Friday announced that the launch of the final mission of the space shuttle Discovery will be delayed to no earlier than November 30 after a hydrogen leak was detected.

Space shuttle managers and engineers met at 11:00 a.m. local time on Friday to discuss the work necessary to repair a gaseous hydrogen leak that was found in the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) and to prepare Discovery for its next launch attempt.

The leak was discovered at 8:11 a.m.and after assessing the situation, launch of the space shuttle was aborted. The Discovery was scheduled for launch at 3:04 p.m. but during the fueling process the leak was detected at the GUCP.

The GUCP is an attachment point between the external tank and a 17-inch pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from the space shuttle to the flare stack where it is burned off. Similar issues affected the launches of the shuttle missions STS-119 and STS-127.

After the meeting, NASA managers decided to postpone the next launch attempt for Discovery's last mission until the next launch window from November 30 until December 5. Previously, it was reported that the space shuttle could be launched on Monday, the last day of the current window.

However, that possibility ended after managers and engineers analyzed the leak and concluded that it was significant and similar to the ones found in the STS-119 and STS-127 missions but higher in magnitude and occurring earlier in the fueling process.

Currently, the external tank is being drained and will be inerted for about 20 hours before it is safe for technicians to take a closer look at the GUCP on Saturday.

The STS-133 mission's launch has been delayed on different times over the past weeks. It was originally scheduled to depart on November 1 but helium and nitrogen leaks were found in the in the pressurization portion of space shuttle's right-hand Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pod.

The 11-day mission will be Discovery's final scheduled flight. Its crew, consisting of six astronauts, will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the International Space Station. The PMM was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and will provide additional storage for the station crew.

In the module, astronauts will be able to conduct experiments in fields such as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology. In addition, the PMM carries Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, which will become a permanent resident of the space station.

The mission will also deliver critical spare parts and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment. STS-133 is the fourth and final shuttle mission planned for 2010; it is also the 39th flight and 35th shuttle mission to the station of the Discovery shuttle.

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