Shuttle mission postponed
Posted: Wed, Feb 4, 2009, 7:50 AM ET (1250 GMT)
The launch of the space shuttle Discovery later this month has been delayed at least a week to resolve an issue with a valve in the shuttle's main engines, NASA announced late Tuesday. Discovery was scheduled to launch on February 12 on mission STS-119, but that launch is now planned for no earlier than February 19 after shuttle managers completed a flight readiness review for the mission. Engineers raised concerns with a flow control valve, one of three that channel liquid hydrogen fuel to the engines, after one of them was damaged during the launch of Endeavour last November. The delay will allow additional time for testing to determine what risk any sort of debris from a cracked valve may pose to propellant lines. When it does launch, STS-119 will install the S6 truss segment on the station and deploy its solar arrays, and also exchange one member of the station's crew.
The launch of the space shuttle Discovery later this month has been delayed at least a week to resolve an issue with a valve in the shuttle's main engines, NASA announced late Tuesday. Discovery was scheduled to launch on February 12 on mission STS-119, but that launch is now planned for no earlier than February 19 after shuttle managers completed a flight readiness review for the mission. Engineers raised concerns with a flow control valve, one of three that channel liquid hydrogen fuel to the engines, after one of them was damaged during the launch of Endeavour last November. The delay will allow additional time for testing to determine what risk any sort of debris from a cracked valve may pose to propellant lines. When it does launch, STS-119 will install the S6 truss segment on the station and deploy its solar arrays, and also exchange one member of the station's crew.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, September 27
‘China’s SpaceX’ Spins Off Amid Commercial Competition
The Jamestown Foundation — 6:27 am ET (1027 GMT) SpaceX launches secret payload from California
UPI — 6:26 am ET (1026 GMT) SpaceX launches mysterious U.S. Space Force mission from California
KTLA-TV Los Angeles — 6:25 am ET (1025 GMT) My SpaceX moon trip was cancelled when the funder pulled out. How could I return to ordinary life?
Irish Times — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) America must restore its space power at war speed
Orlando Sentinel — 6:22 am ET (1022 GMT) |
