spacetoday.net: Crack found in shuttle tank foam

Posted: Mon, Jul 3, 2006, 2:38 PM ET (1838 GMT)
STS-121: foam debris found July 3 (NASA)

Technicians discovered a crack in the insulating foam of the shuttle's external tank Monday, putting into jeopardy plans to launch the shuttle Tuesday afternoon. The crack, about 12 centimeters long and less than a centimeter wide, was found during in the foam near a bracket that holds an oxygen feed line in place. A piece of foam, thought to be associated with the crack, was also found by technicians during the overnight inspection that discovered the crack. Shuttle managers are debating a number of options for dealing with the issue, ranging from flying as-is or with minor on-pad repairs to replacing the damaged foam, which could delay the launch by several days. For the time being, NASA plans to continue with preparations for a launch at 2:38 pm EDT (1838 GMT) Tuesday.