NASA fuels space shuttle for leak test

By: By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer | WSLS 10
Published: July 01, 2009

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA has filled space shuttle Endeavour's fuel tank in a test, and is finding everything to be leak-free.
Launch controllers filled the external tank Wednesday morning to see if repairs plugged a hydrogen gas leak that prevented Endeavour from blasting off last month. Two-and-a-half hours into the test, no leaks had been detected. The test, however, was continuing.
If the leak is fixed, NASA will try to send Endeavour to the international space station on July 11.
During two launch attempts in June, hydrogen gas escaped from a plate on the fuel tank that attaches to a vent line. Engineers believe a slight misalignment of the plate was to blame. A new type of seal and special washers were installed to correct the problem.