Coverage continues at Part 2 of our Mission Journal.

• 14 November 2002 - Evening Update - Work on the Shuttle's robotic arm is in progress. NASA reports:

  Technicians Replace Leak Source, Arm Evaluation Continues
  The source of the oxygen leak that delayed the launch of STS-113 -- a faulty flex hose assembly -- on Sunday has been successfully replaced inside Space Shuttle Endeavour. The new assembly and Endeavour's bulkhead have been tested, X-rayed and cleared for flight.

  Meanwhile, evaluation continues of the damage that Endeavour's robot arm sustained during the leak troubleshooting efforts. A team of robot arm experts arrived at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Wednesday and are planning to perform ultrasound testing of the arm. Program managers are scheduled to meet Friday to discuss the results of the tests and analysis.

  The robot arm will be used to lift the P1 (P-One) Truss out of the payload bay and hand it to its station counterpart, Canadarm2.

  
  

• 14 November - Thursday - With the oxygen leak found and fixed, attention now turns to inspecting Endeavour's robotic arm to see if the damage is more than cosmetic. NASA is still pushing for a Monday launch.

• 13 November 2002 - Evening Update - The oxygen leak inside Endeavour's midbody has been found, and repairs are underway. Unfortunately, the Shuttle's robotic arm, known as "Canadarm" (or officially, Shuttle Remote Manipulator System) may have been damaged in the process. The thermal insulation covering it was torn (easy to patch up), but if the damage goes deeper, Endeavour will have to come off the pad for the arm to be repaired. The arm is essential to this mission, and it cannot support its own weight in Earth's gravity.  NASA reports:

  Inspection Finds Leak; Analysis of Robot Arm Damage Under Way
  A oxygen flex hose fitting was identified as the source of the leak inside Space Shuttle Endeavour during Tuesday's inspection, and efforts are under way to replace it. The leak caused managers to postpone STS-113's launch earlier this week.

  Meanwhile, technicians are evaluating damage that the shuttle robotic arm sustained during leak troubleshooting efforts. A work platform scuffed the arm, tearing a surface insulation blanket scraping the arm's shell.

  An evaluation is under way to determine if the damage will have any impact on arm operations during STS-113's visit to the International Space Station. The robot arm will be used to lift the P1 (P-One) Truss out of the payload bay and hand it to its station counterpart, Canadarm2. Results of the evaluations, which include ultrasonic checks, are expected later this week.

  Audio news clip here. Meanwhile, the current Space Station residents are getting ready for their return home.

  
  

• 13 November 2002 - Wednesday - Last night, while searching for the leaky oxygen line in Endeavour's midbody, engineers inadvertently struck the robot arm's thermal insulation and tore it. The question is, was the arm itself damaged? At least there's some good news - the source of the leak has been found.

• 12 November 2002 - Evening Update - Pad techs continue their work to find the leak in Endeavour's oxygen system. NASA reports:

  Technicians to Look for Oxygen Leak Source in Endeavour
  Tuesday night, technicians at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are scheduled to begin inspections to locate the source of an oxygen leak inside Space Shuttle Endeavour. The leak forced managers to delay the launch of STS-113 Sunday night. Endeavour, which will deliver the P1 (P-One) Truss and the Expedition Six crew, is now slated to lift off no earlier than Nov. 18.

  Meanwhile, workers have completed some turnaround activities. They have unloaded Endeavour's external fuel tank and removed the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen from the Power Reactant Storage and Distribution System. Also, the STS-113 crew has returned to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

  The exact launch time will be kept secret for security purposes, but will be between 7PM and 11PM EST Monday. Press conference video here. Prelaunch video here.

  
  

• 12 November 2002 - Tuesday - Pad workers spent Monday unloading fuel from the Shuttle, and will attempt to access the leak beneath the Payload Bay without having to remove the cargo - the $390-million P1 Truss, which was bound for the International Space Station early Monday morning when the countdown was suddenly stopped. NASA officials are hopeful that a week's time will be enough to get Endeavour flying again. Here's the latest schedule:

• 11 November 2002 - Veteran's Day - Last night (or this morning, depending on your time zone), Shuttle Manager Ron Dittemore announced a one-week delay in Endeavour's launch to investigate a leak in the lines that supply oxygen to the crew (not exactly a "nice-to-have"). NASA reports:

  Leak Forces STS-113 Launch Delay
  An oxygen leak inside Space Shuttle Endeavour forced managers to delay the launch of STS-113 on Sunday. The leak is in a system that supplies oxygen to the crewmembers after they lower their visors just before launch and supplies oxygen to the crew cabin while the shuttle is in orbit. The leak is located in Endeavour's midbody below the payload bay.

  Managers and support personnel will continue troubleshooting efforts. STS-113 is now scheduled to launch no earlier than Nov. 18.

  Fuel for the engines and power systems will be drained from the Shuttle today, and techs should be able to start looking for the leak on Wednesday. The crew, who were getting aboard Endeavour when the scrub was called, will return home to Houston for the week.

• 10 November 2002 - Midnight Update - OK, more scoop: Ground personnel are going to have to get into the guts of Endeavour to uncover the source of the O₂ leak - and it remains to be seen whether the P1 Truss will have to be removed from the Payload Bay. NASA reports:

  Managers Delay STS-113 Launch Delay Due to Leak
  An oxygen line leak inside Space Shuttle Endeavour forced managers to delay the launch of STS-113 by at least 24 hours. They are still assessing the situation and will announce a new launch date later.

  STS-113 will be the 16th shuttle mission to visit the orbital outpost. Endeavour will deliver the Expedition Six crew and the P1 (P-One) Truss to the station. The STS-113 crew will perform three spacewalks to outfit and install the P1 after it is attached to the station on Flight Day 4. The station's current residents, the Expedition Five crew, will return to Earth with Endeavour.

  Launch was scrubbed about 2 hours before the Shuttle was to roar into orbit. So far, the just-announced date is Nov 18th - a one-week delay.

  
  

• 10 November 2002 - Sunday - SCRUB! - As of about 9:45PM EST, launch is postponed for at least one day! NASA reports:

  Leak Forces STS-113 Launch Delay
  NASA managers postponed the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour for at least 24 hours to allow time to troubleshoot an oxygen leak in the lines from the midbody leading to the crew compartment.

  Turnaround options are being discussed. Stay tuned for further information as it becomes available.

  More info will be provided as we get it...

• 10 November 2002 - Launch Day - Endeavour is fueled up and ready to go. There is an 80% chance of good weather at KSC for tonight's launch (see below for schedule). Keep an eye on the play-by-play links at right and watch NASA TV to see the launch live!