Crack found in foam on shuttle fuel tank; holiday launch uncertain

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack inthe foam insulation covering the shuttle Discovery's external fueltank, and NASA managers were deciding Monday whether to call off thescheduled Fourth of July launch.

The crack was spotted during an overnight inspection. NASA hadscrubbed launch plans Saturday and Sunday because of poor weather andhad removed fuel from the tank.

NASA found the crack, which was an eighth- to quarter-inch wide,in the foam on a bracket about two-thirds of the way up on the sideof the external fuel tank facing the orbiter. That location wouldmake it easy to hit the shuttle if a piece of foam came off.Officials were trying to …

Crack found in foam on shuttle fuel tank; holiday launch uncertain

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack inthe foam insulation covering the shuttle Discovery's external fueltank, and NASA managers were deciding Monday whether to call off thescheduled Fourth of July launch.

The crack was spotted during an overnight inspection. NASA hadscrubbed launch plans Saturday and Sunday because of poor weather andhad removed fuel from the tank.

NASA found the crack, which was an eighth- to quarter-inch wide,in the foam on a bracket about two-thirds of the way up on the sideof the external fuel tank facing the orbiter. That location wouldmake it easy to hit the shuttle if a piece of foam came off.Officials were trying to …

Crack found in foam on shuttle fuel tank; holiday launch uncertain

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack inthe foam insulation covering the shuttle Discovery's external fueltank, and NASA managers were deciding Monday whether to call off thescheduled Fourth of July launch.

The crack was spotted during an overnight inspection. NASA hadscrubbed launch plans Saturday and Sunday because of poor weather andhad removed fuel from the tank.

NASA found the crack, which was an eighth- to quarter-inch wide,in the foam on a bracket about two-thirds of the way up on the sideof the external fuel tank facing the orbiter. That location wouldmake it easy to hit the shuttle if a piece of foam came off.Officials were trying to …

Crack found in foam on shuttle fuel tank; holiday launch uncertain

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack inthe foam insulation covering the shuttle Discovery's external fueltank, and NASA managers were deciding Monday whether to call off thescheduled Fourth of July launch.

The crack was spotted during an overnight inspection. NASA hadscrubbed launch plans Saturday and Sunday because of poor weather andhad removed fuel from the tank.

NASA found the crack, which was an eighth- to quarter-inch wide,in the foam on a bracket about two-thirds of the way up on the sideof the external fuel tank facing the orbiter. That location wouldmake it easy to hit the shuttle if a piece of foam came off.Officials were trying to …