NASA replacing seals in leaky shuttle fuel line

NASA replacing seals in leaky shuttle fuel line (AP)
The crew of space shuttle Discovery, from left, commander Steve Lindsey, pilot Eric Boe, mission specialist's Alvin Drew, Tim Kopra, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott attend a news conference in front of the shuttle on launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010. Discovery is scheduled to launch Nov. 1. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

(AP) -- Space shuttle Discovery needs more repair work before it can take off on its last flight.

NASA said Wednesday it will empty Discovery's on-board fuel tanks, then replace two seals in a line that had been leaking. The job at the launch pad will take the rest of this week. If all goes well, the shuttle will remain on track for a Nov. 1 liftoff to the .

Technicians checked bolts on the leaky fuel line earlier this week. The bolts were tight. But for whatever reason, the leak stopped, after a week of slow seepage. Managers ordered the seal replacements as a precaution.

The fuel is used to move Discovery around in orbit.

More information: NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission-pages/shuttle/main/index.html

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