NASA engineers and shuttle managers contend that two parts within the electrical connector are improperly sensing the liquid hydrogen fuel as it flows into the external tank. As it flows into the tank, the super-cold temperatures are causing the humid air outside to freeze, which sometimes opens (breaks) the electrical connection, thus, causing the problems in being able to accurately sense liquid hydrogen in the tank.

The faulty gauges have been removed and are being tested at the NASA facility Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Concurrently, new connectors are being modified so as to eliminate the chance that the circuit will open at these temperature sensitive areas. The new equipment is expected to be sent to the Kennedy Space Center over the weekend, in time for them to be installed next week. Then, NASA engineers will test the new devices.

Although the January 24th date has been set, NASA officials were quick to say that many things could delay that launch date to early in February. NASA deputy shuttle program manager John Shannon stated, “I would say it will be a stretch to think we will make Jan. 24. That would require the weather to cooperate. It would require no hitches in any of the testing. I think it's much more likely we will be ready to go in the Feb. 2 to Feb. 7 time frame." [Houston Chronicle “NASA delays Atlantis launch to late January”]

The STS-122 mission, with space shuttle Atlantis, is being launched to deliver and install the European Columbus scientific laboratory module. The delay in this mission to late January or early February will necessitate a delay in the launching of the previously scheduled launch of STS-123, space shuttle Endeavour, on February 14.

The STS-123 mission is another assembly mission to the International Space Station. It will deliver the first module of the Japanese laboratory Kibo (Japanese Experiment Module) and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) robotics system for incorporation into the station.

STS-123 mission will most likely be scheduled to launch about five weeks after the STS-122 mission.

The other scheduled missions for 2008 include:

STS-124 (space shuttle Discovery), with a scheduled launch date of April 24, is geared to delivering and installing the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Kibo (which will be mated to Node 2) and installing the Japanese Remote Manipulator System.

STS-125 (space shuttle Atlantis) on August 7 is a mission to repair and service the Hubble Space Telescope. It is the only non-International Space Station mission left on the NASA docket.

STS-126 (space shuttle Endeavour) on September 18 will deliver and install the Italian Space Agency’s Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), a pressurized container to be used to transfer cargo back and forth from docking vehicles and the space station.

STS-119 (space shuttle Discovery) on November 6 will deliver the fourth starboard Integrated Truss Segment (S6) and the fourth set of solar arrays and batteries to the space station.

The missions of the space shuttle fleet are found at the NASA website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/index.html.

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