Shuttle fuel line cracks could delay future missions
Posted: Mon, Jun 24, 2002, 7:31 AM ET (1131 GMT)
The discovery of cracks in the fuel lines of one shuttle orbiter could result in inspections and repairs that would delay several upcoming missions, Florida Today reported this weekend. Inspections of the shuttle Atlantis revealed at least three small cracks in the liner of a hydrogen fuel line in the orbiter. The fuel line was in no danger of leaking, and shuttle engineers and managers are deciding how, or even if, the line should be repaired. Atlantis is scheduled to launch on August 22 on the STS-112 ISS assembly mission. No decision has been made yet whether to inspect the other orbiters, including Columbia scheduled to launch on July 19 on the STS-107 dedicated research mission.
The discovery of cracks in the fuel lines of one shuttle orbiter could result in inspections and repairs that would delay several upcoming missions, Florida Today reported this weekend. Inspections of the shuttle Atlantis revealed at least three small cracks in the liner of a hydrogen fuel line in the orbiter. The fuel line was in no danger of leaking, and shuttle engineers and managers are deciding how, or even if, the line should be repaired. Atlantis is scheduled to launch on August 22 on the STS-112 ISS assembly mission. No decision has been made yet whether to inspect the other orbiters, including Columbia scheduled to launch on July 19 on the STS-107 dedicated research mission.
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