spacetoday.net: Shuttle passes tanking test

Posted: Thu, Jul 2, 2009, 3:43 AM ET (0743 GMT)

NASA carried out a successful tanking test with the space shuttle Endeavour on Wednesday, clearing the way for a launch attempt on July 11. Shuttle workers filled Endeavour's external tank with liquid hydrogen in conditions like those that triggered hydrogen gas leaks during two fueling attempts last month, but after making fixes to a seal on a vent line that leaked hydrogen gas during those previous fueling events. This time, however, no hydrogen leaks were detected, and NASA shuttle managers said afterwards that they are ready to proceed with another launch attempt on July 11. Endeavour will fly to the International Space Station on the STS-127 mission to complete the assembly of the Japanese lab module Kibo by installing a platform outside the module. Five spacewalks are scheduled for the mission to accomplish this and other tasks during the 16-day mission.