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Kennedy Space Center – July 13, 2005 – Faulty fuel tank sensor causes NASA decision.
NASA managers said they are still analyzing what caused fuel tank sensors to malfunction. The next launch attempt could be as early as late next week, although it could be postponed much later depending on the necessary repairs.
The Discovery flight will be the first shuttle flight since the Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry over Texas more than two years ago. Discovery will bring supplies to the International Space Station and test new ways of inspecting and repairing the shuttle in orbit.
The July 13 flight was called off about three hours before the shuttle was to lift off and the seven astronauts had already begun boarding the spacecraft. The problems relate to the same part of the shuttle that caused the Columbia accident, when insulating foam flew off the external fuel tank, hit a panel on the wing, created a hole and allowed hot gasses to seep in.
Since the February 2003 disaster, NASA has redesigned Discovery’s fuel tank.
The Discovery flight was delayed from the original launch date - between May 15 and June 3 - because of concerns over ice building up on the shuttle's external tank. The July dates were the next window to allow the shuttle to link up with the orbiting space station.
The fuel tank that read full instead of empty wasn’t the first problem for the shuttle recently, however. Earlier this week a plastic window cover fell off the shuttle and damaged its thermal tiles; a heater unit designed to prevent ice from forming on the external fuel tank also failed.
The faulty gauge reading came after the tank was filled with more than 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Launch controllers ran a test and sent a command mimicking an empty tank. However, three indicated empty, while one stayed stuck on full. NASA requires all four hydrogen sensors to be working to ensure that the main engines shut off at the precise moment in space.
The agency has until July 31 to launch Discovery. After that it will have to delay until Sept. 9, when the International Space Station again comes into the right position to link up with the shuttle.
Additional Links:
Meet STS-114 Crewmember Steve Robinson
NASA Human Space Flight
Shuttle Mission Images
www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
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STS-114 astronauts (from left) Steve Robinson, Jim Kelly, Andy Thomas, Wendy Lawrence, Charlie Camarda, Eileen Collins and Soichi. Steve Robinson is an EAA member.
Find out more about Steve
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The official STS-114 Crew Patch
The Shuttle crew getting ready to board the crew transport van for the ride to the launch pad on July 13. The mission was scrubbed because of a faulty sensor on the spacecraft.
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