spacetoday.net: Oxygen leak postpones shuttle launch

Posted: Mon, Nov 11, 2002, 8:33 AM ET (1333 GMT)
STS-113 pach (NASA)

An oxygen leak discovered only a few hours before launch will delay the flight of the space shuttle Endeavour by at least a week. Late Sunday afternoon engineers discovered a leak in one of two lines that transfer oxygen into the crew cabin. Although one line would likely supply enough oxygen for the crew, concerns that the leak could grow worse forced managers to scrub the launch a little over three hours before the 12:58 am EST (0058 GMT) launch, just as the crew was beginning to board the shuttle. Because the leak is located in plumbing under the payload bay, it will take several days for technicians to access and repair the leak, so NASA has pushed back the launch until Monday, November 18, between 7 and 11 pm EST (0000 and 0400 GMT Tuesday, November 19). Officials cautioned that the delay could be longer if the leak takes longer to reach. A launch on November 18 would set up a landing in Florida on Friday, November 29, the day after Thanksgiving.