NASA Scrubs Launch Due to Faulty Fuel-Tank Sensor

VUSE g-EE-k writes "NASA has scrubbed Wednesday's launch of Discovery due to a faulty fuel-tank sensor in the external fuel tank. They are going to begin the troubleshooting process. They have not released details as to how long this delay will last. The crew have begun to get off the shuttle. For more information, see the NASA TV site. Drudge Report has some initial coverage of the scrub." Reader adefa adds a link to NASA's Space Shuttle launch page with more info.

Comments

Begin the countdown!

[HyperChicken]

Conspiracy in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Re:Begin the countdown!

[Lumpy]

Rumors were that there were Al Quidea terrorist members hiding inside the engines waiting to strike just before the shuttle left the atmosphere.

Also they found a saddle strapped to the main fuel tank with a note that it was reserved for Lance Bass.

Re:Begin the countdown!

[Ucklak]

Might be some truth to this:

http://www.negrospaceprogram.com/

Re:Begin the countdown!

[saigon_from_europe]

Actually, it typically lands in the Indian Ocean (it doesn't completely burn up), but you're correct otherwise.

I believe you mean "it typically oceans in the Indian Ocean"?

Re:Begin the countdown!

[modecx]

Depends... An African or European Al-Qaeda member? Laden or unladen--or Bin Laden?!

oO OMG... *I kill myself!* roflwtfbbw.

Don't worry...

[Loonacy]

I'm still confident they'll launch before DNF or Longhorn are released.

Re:Don't worry...

[RealityMogul]

Hey now, Longhorn is coming along nicely. They'll meet their deadlines. They've just about removed enough features now. Just a little more tweaking to hide the remaining features and they'll be all set.

Re:Don't worry...

[m50d]

And debian sarge. Oh, wait. Dammit!

Re:Don't worry...

[slapout]

It all makes sense now! DNF relies on features in Longhorn! DNF is probably done, they're just waiting for Longhorn to be released!

Fuel sensor

[MyLongNickName]

I have a faulty fuel sensor in my car. My solution: just fill up every few days to make sure I don't run out of gas. Why can't these "genius" rocket scientist just have the crew stop off and get gas half way up, and again when they come back down?

Dammit, *I* should be in charge of NASA.

(please note, that this post is as insightful as most of the other Slashdot 'advice' to NASA. please mod accordingly)

Re:Fuel sensor

[Anonymous Coward]

please mod accordingly

(Score:3, Insightful)

You got it

Re:Fuel sensor

[EvilMidnightBomber]

Why can't these "genius" rocket scientist just have the crew stop off and get gas half way up?

You only get the free insulated beer can holder with a FULL fillup. *taps right temple while smiling insightfully*

Re:Fuel sensor

[Linker3000]

That's crazy - think of the risks and possible delays this would introduce:

1) Getting to the front of the queue only to find that the filler cap is on the other side of the rocket - you'd have to exit and queue again adding to further fuel and time wastage.

2) The reach from the shuttle's window to the credit card slot on the fuel pump is too far and someone has to suit up and take the card outside.

3) You get there and the gas station's closed for a delivery.
Think before you post such stupid remarks eh!?

Re:Fuel sensor

[infolib]

please mod accordingly

(Score:3, Insightful)

You got it

(Score:5, Insightful)

The mods are smoking....Gandalfs Wisdom Weed

It's been a while since i meta-modded. Now I feel like doing it, just to give the meta-nod to that insightful "insightful" guy.

C'mon, it works!

[Dorf on Perl]

Just bang it a couple times!

Launch to coincide

[Anonymous Coward]

.. with the release of Duke Nukem Forever.

Duke Nukem Forever programmers are staffing NASA Launch Control.

Re:Launch to coincide

[EvilTwinSkippy]

Launch to coincide ... with the release of Duke Nukem Forever.

Duke Nukem is going to be released in tiny peices over Texas?

/I'm going to hell for that one.

Troubleshooting process?

[savagedome]

They are going to begin the troubleshooting process

Trouleshooting prcocess??? Alright. In words of George Carlin:

Whole thing starts when you get to the gate. First announcement, "We would like to begin the boarding process." Extra word, "process", not necessary. Boarding is enough, "We'd like to begin the boarding." Simple! Tells the story...

People add extra words when they want things to sound more important than they really are. "Boarding Process" sounds important.... It isn't! It's just a bunch of people getting on an airplane. People like to sound important. Weather men on television talk about shower activity, sounds more important than showers. I even heard one guy on CNN talk about a rain event. Swear to god. He said, "Louisiana is expecting a rain event." I thought HOLY SHIT I hope I can get tickets to that!

Re:Troubleshooting process?

[timster]

Of course, this being NASA, "process" means PROCESS. There is a big complicated manual somewhere describing what is to be done and how and by whom.

It's sort of like if the people boarding the airplane had to play trumpets in perfect harmony or else they would fall down, catch fire, and die.

Amazing

[CompressedAir]

I've never heard every engineer at JSC say "Doh!" at the same time before.

Re:Redundant system

[Anonymous Coward]

Cause the last thing they want is to launch, and then run out of gas while in orbit! Its like 200,000 miles to the next gas and it turns out to be a Stuckey's or something. The restrooms haven't been cleaned in a week. And there's no water in the windshield washer tank.

In related news

[A beautiful mind]

In a shock announcement today, Roland Piquepaquille announced that he has purchased the majority (51%) of the well known news syndication site, Drudge Report.

Re:Drudge - WTF?!?

[victor_the_cleaner]

Probably because that's the echo chamber that the origianl poster gets all his/her news from.

I had to laugh though... Drudge Report had some initial coverage

I have a few friends that work in the Public Information/Media Relations department at KSC. I'll check to see if Drudge was issued a press credential.

Drudge Report, where I go for all my hard-hitting science news.

Re:Launch window?

[MyLongNickName]

I think their launch window broke.

Re:Redundant system

[plover]

Thanks for the explanation.

From the article above, I first read it as "a sensor that detects if the fuel tank is present". That didn't sound too critical, because it's a "look-out-the-window-and-see-if-it's-still-there" kind of problem.

Re:Cost of Launch...

[Anonymous Coward]

as far as i can tell they were redundant.

there are 4 low-fuel sensors, only 2 are needed, 1 failed.

yet they say if 1 fails its an automatic scrub no questions asked.

so i guess the redundant sensors are required also heh

Drudge "Report"

[courtarro]

I think it's best not to reference "news sources" that announce "SEN. MCCAIN STARS IN BOOB RAUNCH FEST" in 20-point text concerning his participation in Wedding Crashers, with a tiny link at the top to NASA information.

Re:Drudge - WTF?!?

[Good Sumerian]

I totally read that as Kentucky Space Chicken.

Re:Horrible Quality

[rfinnvik]

Wow! -400 degrees Celsius... That's pretty damn cold! ;)

Re:My Nissan has the same problem...

[HyperChicken]

Face it, if you're not screwing the gas cap on correctly, there is a high probability that your careless disregard for the gas cap has caused a band of squirrels to take refuge in your fuel line.

In Soviet Russia

[Anonymous Coward]

they launch when one of the four fuel sensors is working.

Re:Horrible Quality

[sfm]

> ...this was one of four fuel sensors that have to work at -400 degrees (I don't recall if NASA TV
> said C or F... I would guess C)

I would lean more toward F (Unless you live in a
different universe than I do :-)

Re:Horrible Quality

[Nytewynd]

Yeah. Anything colder than absolute zero is a bit too chilly for my liking.

Photo

[loconet]

So apparently this photo was taken after they cancelled the launch. They seem pretty happy about it lol.. "Phewwwf..we dodged that one"

Re:Horrible Quality

[j0e_average]

Don't feel bad....NASA gets the whole C/F thing mixed up too!

Re:Redundant system

[pionzypher]

Redundancy is for faults in operation, not to compensate for damaged equipment prior to operation. My god, someone needs to explain this perl of wisdom to my boss.