NASA Moving Toward Tuesday Launch Attempt For Shuttle Discovery

Melissa Matthews
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1272)

Jessica Rye
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)
July 20, 2005
RELEASE: 05-194

NASA Moving Toward Tuesday Launch Attempt For Shuttle Discovery

With some work still to go, NASA is moving toward a new launch attempt for
the Space Shuttle Discovery Tuesday, July 26, at 10:39 a.m. EDT. Engineers
are wrapping up a troubleshooting plan to address a fuel sensor system issue
that caused Space Shuttle managers to scrub the first launch attempt for the
Return to Flight mission, STS-114.

At a meeting today of the Mission Management Team, Shuttle managers decided
on a plan to complete outstanding work on the External Tank's liquid
hydrogen low-level fuel sensor system circuit that runs from the External
Tank into the Orbiter. The plan outlines a series of steps that could
culminate in a launch next Tuesday. First, engineers will complete tests to
look at electromagnetic interference as a factor in the sensor system
circuit malfunction. Then, workers will swap circuits for two of the sensors
to provide a means to isolate the problem to the wiring or the point sensor
box, should the problem recur during the countdown. Next, engineers will
shore up the electrical grounding to reduce further the chance of
electromagnetic interference with the sensor system.

For a Tuesday launch, the official launch countdown for Discovery will begin
Saturday. During the countdown, engineers will closely watch the behavior of
the sensor system circuit as the tank is filled with super-cooled
propellants.

Including the first launch attempt on Tuesday, there are at least four
opportunities for Discovery to launch during the current launch window,
which extends until July 31. NASA managers are also looking at the
possibility of additional launch opportunities in the first week of August.

For the latest information on the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight




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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info