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HOUSTON (AP) - While astronauts set a record for using robotics in space, NASA engineers on Friday focused on a slow leak aboard space shuttle Discovery that if it worsens could cause a first-of-its-kind shutdown of one of three hydraulic systems during Monday's landing attempt.
John Shannon, the shuttle program's deputy manager, said the problem was unlikely to affect the shuttle's return to Earth, but engineers were closely monitoring the leak in the pipeline of an auxiliary power unit that controls hydraulic steering and braking maneuvers.
It is leaking at a rate of "about six drops per hour," and could be leaking harmless nitrogen or flammable hydrazine fuel, Shannon said.
The leak is more likely nitrogen, but there is no way of knowing that, so NASA is treating the problem as if the leak were fuel, he said. If it is fuel, the current rate is still 100,000 times slower than what would cause a fire, he said.
So if nothing changes, the shuttle will land normally, Shannon said.
Just in case, NASA will turn on the power unit with the leak early Sunday as part of its normal testing and then see if the leak rate changes. If it does, NASA may burn off the hydrazine and shut down the power unit before the shuttle returns to Earth to eliminate any fire hazard, Shannon said.
If that happens, the shuttle would land with just its two other power units for the first time in the spacecraft's history.
John Shannon, the shuttle program's deputy manager, said the problem was unlikely to affect the shuttle's return to Earth, but engineers were closely monitoring the leak in the pipeline of an auxiliary power unit that controls hydraulic steering and braking maneuvers.
It is leaking at a rate of "about six drops per hour," and could be leaking harmless nitrogen or flammable hydrazine fuel, Shannon said.
The leak is more likely nitrogen, but there is no way of knowing that, so NASA is treating the problem as if the leak were fuel, he said. If it is fuel, the current rate is still 100,000 times slower than what would cause a fire, he said.
So if nothing changes, the shuttle will land normally, Shannon said.
Just in case, NASA will turn on the power unit with the leak early Sunday as part of its normal testing and then see if the leak rate changes. If it does, NASA may burn off the hydrazine and shut down the power unit before the shuttle returns to Earth to eliminate any fire hazard, Shannon said.
If that happens, the shuttle would land with just its two other power units for the first time in the spacecraft's history.