NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch Again Over Leak
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
NASA/Kim Shiflett
The space shuttle Endeavour sits atop Pad 39A at NASA's seaside Kennedy Space Center launch complex.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has called off Wednesday's launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour because of another hydrogen gas leak.
The space station construction mission is now postponed until July.
It's the same type of leak that cropped up Saturday during fueling, in the hydrogen gas vent line that connects to the external tank. Managers ordered repairs similar to those carried out in March, when a similar leak stalled a shuttle flight. The repairs did not work this time.
NASA was already running three hours behind because of thunderstorms that delayed fueling Tuesday night. The leak did not appear until early Wednesday.
NASA bumped an unmanned moon launch to give Endeavour one last chance of launching before a thermal blackout period kicks in.
