Wed, Mar 21, 2007
Agency To Determine How To Handle Tank Damage
ANN REALTIME REPORTING
03.21.07 1800 EDT: Repair or replace. That's the issue
facing engineers at NASA, who on Wednesday determined they need
more time to decide which course of action to pursue regarding
damage to the shuttle's problematic external fuel tank.
NASA states all hail damage spots on the tank have been mapped
out. Repair work has been completed on the bottom portion of the
tank, the liquid hydrogen section. The damage on the middle part of
the tank, or innertank, was superficial and will require little or
no repair. There are 2,500 dings, mostly in the top of the tank,
that will be reviewed to determine what type of repair technique
may be required.
Shuttle program manager Wayne Hale told reporters if NASA
decides to replace the tank, Atlantis would not launch until the
middle of June. If the divots in the external fuel tank's foam
insulation can be repaired -- many of which will require new foam
to be poured into the depressions -- that date may be moved up to
sometime in May.
NASA expects the teams to have the necessary data by April
10 to make that decision and to establish a potential target launch
date.
Previous Report
1600 EDT: In a press conference scheduled one
hour from now, NASA officials will reportedly announce the launch
of the space shuttle Atlantis will be pushed to mid-May so
engineers can repair an external fuel tank damaged in a
late-February hailstorm.
Reuters reports NASA planning documents show the
agency is now targeting a launch date of around May 11, in the
middle of a launch window that starts in late April. The orbiter is
heading for the International Space Station on a construction
mission.
As Aero-News reported earlier this
week, NASA has conducted detailed inspections to
the shuttle since the orbiter was rolled back into the vehicle
assembly building.
NASA has until May 21 to launch the shuttle, before the
station's alignment with the sun is rendered unsuitable for
Atlantis to be docked at the station. The next window opens June
8.
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