Shuttle launch delayed again

NASA has decided to postpone the launch of Atlantis once more, due to work being done on the Engine Cutoff Sensors, which have been giving spurious results. The ECOs report on the amount of fuel left in the tank, and are designed to cut off the engines if the fuel runs too low.

~~The ECOs~~ Hardware associated with the ECOs has been pulled out and is being worked on. NASA has not said when the Shuttle will launch again, or how this slip will affect the already overpacked schedule for the next few flights. We’ll find out soon.

As usual, Damaris has the inside scoop.

December 29th, 2007 1:26 PM by Phil Plait in NASA | 6 comments | RSS feed | Trackback >

6 Responses to “Shuttle launch delayed again”

1. Edward Krassenstein Says:
December 29th, 2007 at 1:58 pm

Better safe then sorry. Fact is they will eventually accomplish their goals… even if it’s in 2010
2. Remek Says:
December 29th, 2007 at 2:10 pm

No, the ECO sensors aren’t being touched – it’s the passthrough connector on the tank surface itself being removed, along with the external connector and a bit of its cable for controlled cryo testing. They believe under cryo temps when the tank is fuelled, the pins between the outer passthrough and the external connector are losing contact. Testing indications are the ECO sensors themselves are working properly.

Accessing the ECO sensors or the internal harness would be a last resort because that means entering the tank itself, which means a rollback to VAB and de-stacking, causing an additional delay of 2-3 weeks at the minimum.
3. Mc Atilla Says:
December 29th, 2007 at 2:50 pm

Aw, that’s a shame. But if you like putting people in space I’m sure those people appreciate that you take care of their safety.
The experience of being one of the astronauts during this lead-up to launch must be a wild emotional roller coaster.

MA
4. The Bad Astronomer Says:
December 29th, 2007 at 3:10 pm

Ah, I see, thanks Remek. I read an article somewhere that the ECOs themselves were pulled.
5. Michael Lonergan Says:
December 29th, 2007 at 5:14 pm

It must also be an emotional roller coaster for Dan Tani, who recently lost his mother. He was scheduled to return home aboard Atlantis. I’m sure the crew appreciates the extra time taken to make sure they fly safely.
6. Rainer Gerhards Says:
December 31st, 2007 at 3:35 am

It is indeed the external part of the feedthrough connector that has been pulled. I have some write-up on my blog, including an analogy that compares the current shuttle analysis with a situation we are all much more familiar with

About Bad Astronomy

Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He's written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic and fights the abuse of science, but his true love is praising the wonders of real science.

The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking, movie reviews, and all that) can be found here.

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