New Cracks Discovered in Space Shuttle's Fuel Tank

NASA has institute individual diminutive cracks in the expanse shuttle's outside render tank, the expanse authority said Thursday.  

Discovery was regular to verify soured Nov. 5 on its test assignment to the International Space Station, a grace that was suspended until Nov. 30 mass brainstorm of a render leak, and delayed to Feb after cracks were institute in the render tank. weekday salutation NASA said it had institute newborn cracks in the tank, though these haw not advance to delays. 

Technicians in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s President Space Center in Florida institute the diminutive cracks mass the stylish ammo of X-ray ikon scans of expanse shuttle Discovery's outside render tank.

NASA has not still definite whether the newest cracks, perceived on the tops of threesome "stringers" on commission 6, which is on the oppositeness lateral of the cell from Discovery, will change forthcoming plans. Stringers are metal strips between the liquefied gas and liquefied gas parts of the render tank, fashioned to wage structural integrity.

Space Shuttle Program managers are gathering weekday salutation to end whether investigating and psychotherapy inform modifications are necessary on whatever of the stringers. If required, modifications would begin Jan 3. But modify if these stringers order strengthening, the schedule for start Feb 3 belike won't be affected, Kyle Herring, expanse shuttle information open concern officer, told FoxNews.com.

Similar issues hit strained start attempts during digit preceding shuttle missions, both in 2009. In the past, crews hit restored cracks in the outside cell by removing the unsmooth metal and exchange it with a "doubler" -- a twice-as-thick country -- before exchange the sparkle insulation. 

When the cell is ready, Discovery module control an 11-day cater assignment to the International Space Station to have a robot mechanism supporter for the send gathering and a newborn hardware shack for the orbiting lab. The equipment has already visaged downbound a program of setbacks, including a unify of pedal leaks, an electrical flaw and, most recently, unhelpful weather.

The STS-133 assignment module be Discovery's noble finish in expanse before existence old along with the rest of NASA's shuttle fast in 2011.

keywords: found,cracks,space,shuttle,external,thursday,discovery,mission,station,stringers,fuel tank