spacetoday.net: STS-119 further delayed

Posted: Sat, Feb 7, 2009, 10:48 AM ET (1548 GMT)

NASA managers delayed the launch of the next shuttle mission by at least three more days on Friday to give workers more time to investigate issues with a key set of valves. The launch of STS-119, which was delayed earlier in the week from February 12th to the 19th, is now planned for no earlier than the 22nd. The extra time will allow engineers additional time to study the possibility that flow control valves, which regulate pressure in liquid hydrogen propellant lines in the shuttle's main engines, could crack, creating debris that might damage the lines themselves. A "worst case" scenario would require redesigning the valve and delaying the launch by up to two months. 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.