Hydrogen gas leaking again from space shuttle vent line during fueling, launch delay likely

Hydrogen gas leaking again from space shuttle tank

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Hydrogen gas is leaking again from a vent line on space shuttle Endeavour’s external fuel tank.

Launch officials have yet to call off Wednesday morning’s launch attempt. But it appears unlikely the shuttle will be able to take off. That means the space station construction mission will be delayed until July.

NASA said the leak is occurring in the same place as one that cropped up Saturday during fueling and caused a four-day launch delay.

Mission managers ordered repairs to the hydrogen gas vent line hookup. The hookup and two seals were replaced. But that apparently was not enough. The same repair worked back in March, when a similar leak stalled a shuttle flight.

Fueling got under way three hours late Tuesday night because of thunderstorms. The leak did not appear until early Wednesday.