Oct 25 1979
From The Space Library
NASA declared the August 9 launch of WESTAR-C (known as Restar 3 in orbit) to be satisfactory. The satellite, third of Western Union Telegraph Company's communications satellites to be launched by NASA, was performing satisfactorily on its station at 91°W over the equator. (NASA MOR M-492-203-79-03 [postlaunch] Oct 25/79)
NASA declared satisfactory the January 30 launch for U.S. Air Force SAMSO of the SCATHA mission into a transfer orbit from which it went into operational mode, a controlled westward drifting of 5 ° per day as planned. (NASA MOR M-492-30379-01 [postlaunch] Oct 25/79)
MSFC reported cancellation of a Shuttle propulsion-system static test firing October 24 because of a hydrogen leak in the orbiter's aft compartment near the main engines. Sensors detected hydrogen in the compartment about 10 a.m. during tanking; attempts to isolate the leak continued until 3 p.m. without success. Frank Stewart, MSFC test manager, said the leak apparently came from a 17-inch or smaller hydrogen feed line in the aft compartment. "It is an inert area," he said, "and if we could have isolated it to one of the lines... disconnected after ignition we could have safely fired the engines." Since the exact source and cause of the leak could not be established with hydrogen in the system, officials decided to postpone firing, drain the propellants, and give engineers access to the area for additional checking. While isolation checks went on, the countdown continued through fuel loading procedures; several tests of the main propulsion system were conducted, such as inspection for ice and frost on the external tank after the fuel was loaded.
Stewart said the problem had no connection with the main fuel valve leak that started an external fire during a July 2 test. This postponement, he said, should have "very little impact on our target date" for completing main propulsion system tests. (MSFC Release 79-116)
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