Nasa has postponed the launch of the Discovery space shuttle to the end of November 2010, after detecting a hydrogen gas leak in the external tank of the spacecraft.
The delay will allow engineers and technicians time to diagnose and repair the gas leak, and assess a foam crack on the external fuel tank’s liquid oxygen intertank flange.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The crack was discovered during detanking operations.
During the 11-day STS-133 mission, discovery will deliver the permanent multipurpose module (PMM) to the International Space Station.
The PMM, converted from the multipurpose logistics module Leonardo, can hold microgravity experiments in areas such as fluid physics, materials science, biology, and biotechnology.
The PMM will also carry Robonaut 2, which will be used to test how dexterous robots behave in space.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataSTS-133 is also carrying critical spare components to the space station and the express logistics carrier 4, and will feature two spacewalks to do maintenance work and install new components.
