SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468
*Atlantis' Launch Scrubbed Due to ECO Sensor Problem*
/ Sept. 8, 10:54 a.m. EDT (1454 UTC)/ The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis has been scrubbed until Saturday due to a problem with one of the vehicle's fuel system sensors. The new launch time is targeted for 11:14 a.m. EDT.
Earlier in today's countdown, launch controllers detected a problem with one of the four ECO sensors inside the hydrogen section of the space shuttle's orange external tank. The sensors monitor hydrogen levels inside of the tank and trigger the orbiter's engines to shutdown when gas levels drop below a specified level. + See ECO Sensor Description http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/157006main_122488main_ECO_sensors.jpg
NASA Launch Director Mike Leinbach explained the issue to the crew adding that the launch weather for Saturday looks good and controllers will just have watch to see how the shuttle responds once the tank is again fueled for flight.
Follow along with the countdown: + NASA's Launch Blog http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-115/launch-vlcc.html + NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html