spacetoday.net: Bolt problem will not delay shuttle mission

Posted: Wed, Oct 3, 2001, 11:48 AM ET (1548 GMT)
Image of orbital maneuvering engine pod on shuttle (NASA/KSC)

A problem with misshapen bolt holes found on one shuttle will not delay the late November launch of the shuttle Endeavour, the Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday. The November 29 launch of Endeavour on STS-108, the next shuttle mission, was in doubt after engineers found two misshapen bolt holes on the shuttle Columbia at points where the orbital maneuvering engine pods are attached to the orbiter. According to the Chronicle, a NASA spokesman said that the deformed bolt holes would not diminish the ability of bolts to keep the pods attached to the orbiter, relieving NASA of the need to inspect Endeavour, Atlantis, and Discovery. Had such inspections been required, it could have delayed the launch of STS-108 until possibly after the beginning of 2002.