NASA keep to launch schedule despite concerns about cracks in foam

NASA managers were last night not ruling out a July 4 launch for space shuttle Discovery, even after inspectors found a five-inch-long crack in the foam insulation on its external fuel tank.

Officials said they needed more time to evaluate the problem and planned to meet at about 11pm Irish time to decide whether to go ahead with the launch.

The space agency’s engineers believe the crack was caused by the expanding and shrinking of the tank as it was fuelled with super-cold propellant, which also caused a 3-inch-long triangle-shaped piece of foam to fall off the area and land on a platform below.