Minor Technical Issue Aboard Shuttle Discovery

IZ Reloaded writes "Space Shuttle Discovery has a problem with the pipeline for an auxiliary power unit that controls the shuttle's hydraulic steering and braking maneuvers. CNN reports that the pipleline is leaking 'fuel' at about six drops per hour." From the article: "The leak is more likely nitrogen, but there is no way of knowing that, so NASA is treating the problem as if the leak were fuel ... If it is fuel, the current rate is still 100,000 times slower than what would cause a fire ... Just in case, NASA will turn on the power unit with the leak early Sunday as part of its normal testing and then see if the leak rate changes. If it does, NASA may burn off the hydrazine and shut down the power unit before the shuttle returns to Earth to eliminate any fire hazard.'"

solution

[Anonymous Coward]

Two words: Duct tape.

Re:Terminology

[TrappedByMyself]

Excuse me? The shuttle must be one of the most redundantly-instrumented efforts ever built and they don't know what's leaking?

Obviously not. I guess some rogue foam disabled the giant blinking "HYDRAZINE LEAK" and "NITROGEN LEAK" signs, so they're lost up there. You better call NASA and tell em what's what.

Minor technical issue?

[Seiruu]

A leak in a "gas tank" is a minor technical issue? :p

"Hey there cowboy, word goes around that there's something wrong with my car."

"Nah sir, just a little scratch."

"Ah if it's just a scratch then I can live with it."

"Yes sir, just a bit of gas leaking through that "scratch", so you might want to cut down on that smoking sir."

Re:Terminology

[leathered]

There are pipelines in space now? Cool.

They're the tubes that makes the intarweb run, how do you think all that data gets to the satellites and back?

Re:Terminology

[Ohreally_factor]

In space no one can smell you scream.

I thought everyone knew that.

Re:Getting rid of it is a good idea

[Ohreally_factor]

I'm trying to calculate the risk/reward ratio for those strapped underneath a rocket. So far, I keep getting divide by zero errors.

Re:Terminology

[leathered]

It's not easy to crawl into the conduit and locate a leak.

Don't they have Jeffries tubes [wikipedia.org] on the Shuttle?

Re:Overconservatism

[The Snowman]

It makes it 50% more difficult for her to come back as a zombie.

Re:solution

[Bastian]

If you don't like reading random essays on technical issues, what the fuck are you doing reading Slashdot?