NASA has postponed the launch of its space shuttle Discovery to no earlier than 4:05 a.m. EST on 30th November, after engineers had to delay launch following a hydrogen gas leak.
The delay will allow engineers and technicians time to diagnose and repair a hydrogen gas leak detected while filling the external tank Friday morning, a NASA press release explains.
Engineers and technicians will also assess a foam crack on the external fuel tank’s liquid oxygen intertank flange. The crack was discovered during de-tanking operations.
The leak was found at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate, an attachment point between the external tank and a 7-inch pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from Discovery to the flare stack, where it is burned off.
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