NASA engineers discover helium leak on Discovery

by Stevie Smith - Mar 15 2010, 13:13

The April 05 launch of the space shuttle Discovery may be in jeopardy following the discovery of a helium leak coming from at least one valve connected to the vehicle’s rocket pods, according to a report issued by NASA officials.

The U.S. space administration has warned that the Discovery, which is presently sitting on an ocean-side pad, may have to be returned to its hangar for repairs if engineers fail to fix the problem onsite – a decision that could negatively affect the shuttle’s upcoming launch window.

In detailing the unexpected leak through its official Web site, NASA explained that the problem was located by engineers on Friday during a routine venting procedure on the Discovery’s propellant tanks.

While shuttle launches rely heavily on the two Solid Rocket Boosters that flank the external fuel tank beneath NASA’s stalwart orbiter, the spacecraft’s own rocket pods are of vital importance for manoeuvres and when the vehicle needs to position itself for atmosphere re-entry.

Once the leaky valve is fixed and the Discovery is safely on its way to the orbiting International Space Station, NASA will only have a total of three missions left before its aging fleet of space vehicles is officially retired.

The last of these missions is currently pencilled in for September 14 of 2010.

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