spacetoday.net: Shuttle cabin leak under investigation

Shuttle cabin leak under investigation

Posted: Wed, Aug 1, 2007, 8:24 AM ET (1224 GMT)

Technicians are investigating an air leak in the cabin of the space shuttle Endeavour that could delay next week's launch. The air leak had been detected over the weekend and workers believed they solved the problem by tightening a single bolt, but the leak continued into Tuesday. The air leak, more than ten times the allowable rate, has yet to be isolated. Officials said they still have plenty of time to isolate and correct the problem before the shuttle's launch next Tuesday evening. The launch will be the first for Endeavour in nearly five years, since before the Columbia accident in 2003.