Launch Countdown to Begin Saturday, July 23

Launch Countdown to Begin Saturday, July 23


NASA officials have announced plans to the begin the countdown to a July 26
launch of Space Shuttle Discovery. The countdown will start Saturday, with a
test of the External Tank to follow early on launch day. If all goes well
with the test, the countdown will continue to liftoff at 10:39 a.m. EDT on
Tuesday.

In the meantime, technicians will work with grounding wiring associated with
the liquid hydrogen engine cutoff sensor system, as well as adjust the
configuration of components within Discovery's point sensor box. During a
briefing held after a mission managers meeting, NASA Space Shuttle Program
Manager Bill Parsons said "We've all agreed that this work is doable, and
that it all takes us to a launch on the 26th"

The engine cutoff sensors are mounted at the bottom of the External Tank and
trigger the orbiter's engines to shutdown in the event liquid hydrogen
levels run expectedly low. The system failed a routine pre-launch check
during the countdown on July 13, causing NASA to postpone Discovery's first
launch attempt.


The window to launch Discovery to the International Space Station extends
through July 31.
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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info