Technicians at Kennedy Space Center are refueling Discovery's orbital engine system after replacing a pair of seals and the shuttle remains on track to launch at 4:40 p.m. Nov. 1. Teams on Saturday replaced the seals in a flange where propellant lines connect in the back section of Discovery.
The lines fuel the orbital engines and thrusters in two pod's located on either side of the orbiter's tail fin.
A small, unexplained leak of toxic monomethyl hydrazine propellant stopped early last week after the tightness of some bolts in the flange were checked, but NASA managers opted to replace the seals to increase confidence the leak wouldn't reoccur.
The old set will be examined to see if they reveal the leak's cause, while tests will confirm if the new seals are tight.
About 1,500 gallons of propellant are being reloaded into the four tanks drained for the procedure.
The work is being completed ahead of its Monday target, which should give NASA executives plenty of information to analyze before deciding whether to confirm Discovery's Nov. 1 launch date. A flight readiness review starts at 8 a.m. Monday at KSC.
IMAGE: As the sun began to rise at launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 15, the STS-133 crew members were in the pad's White Room preparing to board space shuttle Discovery during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
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