Leak grounds space shuttle till July
- |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour will remain on the ground until next month after a recurrence of a hydrogen leak scuttled a launch attempt yesterday.
The launch was called off at 1:55 a.m., several hours before the scheduled launch.
Shuttle managers now need to resolve what seems to be a stubborn problem that has troubled two of the last three missions. A hydrogen leak delayed the launching of the Discovery in March for four days.
A leak canceled the launch attempt of the Endeavour on Saturday. But this time, replacing seals did not fix the problem and the hydrogen leak reappeared.
Engineers have not determined an underlying cause for the leaks.
NASA officials have said the delay does not throw off the schedule for completing the International Space Station but reduces flexibility with future missions.
NASA now turns its efforts to launching the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter from neighboring Cape Canaveral Air Force Station today. The next launch opportunity for the Endeavour is July 11.
