[sarex] Way on Discovery's Repairs Discovery's starboard landing gear.

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Tests Under Way on Discovery's Repairs* Discovery's starboard landing gear.

Image above: With repairs of the hydraulic leak completed, tests on 
Discovery's right landing gear have begun inside the Orbiter Processing 
Facility. Image credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller + View larger image 
<http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_strutfix-lg.JPG>

With space shuttle Discovery's right landing gear reassembled following 
the replacement of its four hydraulic seals, technicians now are 
carrying out a series of tests on the system. Once these tests are 
concluded on Saturday and the repairs have been determined successful, 
the way would be cleared for Discovery's move on Sunday from its 
processing hangar at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the Vehicle Assembly 
Building. Depending on how processing operations go, rollout to the 
launch pad could take place one week later.

One of Discovery’s struts, which act as shock absorbers during the 
shuttle's landing, began leaking hydraulic fluid last week.

Once Discovery is in the Vehicle Assembly Building, it will be attached 
to its external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters for its upcoming 
mission, STS-120, to the International Space Station.

While NASA managers will continue to assess the progress, the ongoing 
preparations would still support Discovery’s Oct. 23 target launch date.

*Mission Information*
+ STS-120 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html>
+ Harmony Node 2 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/harmony.html>
+ Space Shuttle Discovery 
<http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html>