Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center continue to repair cracks on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Repair work will continue through tomorrow.
The shuttle program also reviewed the plan to modify as many as 32 additional stringers with radius blocks, which will provide added structural support in areas known to carry much of the structural load of the external tank. These radius blocks essentially fit over existing stringer edges through which the securing rivets are installed to provide additional structural support. The radius block modification is a known and practiced structural augmentation technique used extensively on the intertank. This work should begin as soon as the repairs to the three stringers with the four additional small cracks have been completed, likely in the next day or so, and the modification of the additional 32 stringers is expected to be complete next week.
NASA managers will meet with Space Shuttle Program officials today to review the progress to date and the forward plan. A determination of the need and viability for the installation of additional radius blocks on all remaining stringers will be made sometime this week.
NASA managers are evaluating potential launch dates for space shuttle Discovery in late February and working to see if International Space Station on orbit operations would allow a launch as early as Feb. 24. Managers hope to set a launch date by the end of this week.
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