GO FEVER IS WELL ENTRENTCHED:(

Crews do slight damage to shuttle fuel tank foam

Lockheed team experienced in repairing area

BY CHRIS KRIDLER
FLORIDA TODAY Related news from the Web
Latest headlines by topic:
• Science / Technology
• Space
Powered by Topix.net


ADVERTISEMENT



CAPE CANAVERAL - Workers on Tuesday dinged foam on an external fuel
tank scheduled to fly with the shuttle in July.

They were preparing to replace a gaseous oxygen vent valve near the
nose and were repositioning a halogen lamp when it hit the tank,
causing "extremely minor" damage to the insulating foam, NASA
spokeswoman Jessica Rye said.

Work continues on the bottom of the tank, in Kennedy Space Center's
Vehicle Assembly Building, as technicians replace problematic engine
cutoff sensors.

The workers are from the Lockheed Martin-run Michoud Assembly Facility
in New Orleans, which makes the external tanks.

Work at the top is on hold.

"We're in the process of completing a detailed inspection of the area
before we'd be able to determine what, if any, repairs are required,"
Michoud spokesman Marion LaNasa said.

"We have a significant amount of experience repairing damage in this
area of the ET."

Last year, he said, birds damaged foam near the nose of a tank, and the
foam was repaired, though that tank didn't fly for other reasons.

"We don't think this is going to be any impact or concern at this
point," Rye said.

There are two current investigations into recent accidents at KSC. In
one, a construction worker fell off a roof and died from his injuries.

In another, a shuttle robot arm was dinged.

Contact Kridler at 242-3633 or