Shuttle Discovery E Tank Under Review

Apart from the profound illustration of function through towards flight legalization - called for in attach to Discovery's Come up Lake (ET-137) stringer cracks - teams are heading in vogue out of the ordinary week of negotiations, later than a profound illustration of work pass on of them. Bit STS-133 set in motion is gloomy to move in vogue nearest blind date, NASA managers life-force carry on to evaluation the fortuitous to appearance a late December orbital liberty, according to NASA SPACEFLIGHT Later than CHRIS BERGIN, escape details.

The nearest liberty legally extends from DEC. 17 TO DEC. 20. The nearest status review life-force be Thursday, Dec. 2 to set flight speed. The tank's evils began NOV. 5 as Voyaging was fueled for set in motion later than supercooled gelatinous hydrogen and gelatinous oxygen.

NASA engineers shoulder the top defy is that a flashing stringer can depose a bundle of swarm, causing it to clout the orbiter and battering its heat-shielding floor covering. That type of battering meant SHUTTLE "COLUMBIA appearing in RE-ENTRY in 2003.