Hubble Repair Mission Delayed Again By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's trip to fix the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed two days so workers can complete wiring checks aboard space shuttle Discovery.

The new launch is scheduled for Dec. 11, at 12:13 a.m.

The date should stand if no new problems pop up, NASA spokesman Bruce Buckingham said Thursday. Besides damaged wiring, workers have had to contend with a leaky hydraulic system and an engine with a broken drill bit embedded in it.

Because of all the wiring trouble encountered this year, technicians are taking extra time to inspect electrical cables as they close out Discovery's engine compartment. So far, they have found only minor damage and are applying tape to strengthen any flawed wires, Buckingham said.

During Columbia's launch in July, an exposed wire caused a short circuit. Two engine computers shut down, but backups kicked in and Columbia made it safely to orbit.

NASA ordered wiring inspections of all four shuttles, and damage was found on all four. Fifty-seven exposed wires were found on Discovery alone, postponing the 10-day Hubble mission from mid-October.

Hubble cannot make any astronomical observations until spacewalking astronauts install new gyroscopes to aim and steady the telescope.

If NASA does not launch Discovery by mid-December, it will have to wait until January. Managers do not want a shuttle in orbit on Dec. 31 because of any potential Y2K problems.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/19991203/sc/space_shuttle_2.html

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-- LOON (blooney10@aol.com), December 03, 1999

Answers

Isn't it controlled by VIC 20's and Sinclair ZX 81's? Are they not compliant then? :)

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 03, 1999.