Was there any damage done to the space shuttle launch pad when it was struck by lightning yesterday?
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA scrubbed space shuttle Endeavour’s Saturday evening launch after lightning struck at least 11 times near the seaside launch pad. NASA technicians found no damage after an electrical storm Friday afternoon, but said they will need at least another day to check critical systems. A mission management team plans to meet early Sunday to determine if all the testing has been completed and whether to fuel Endeavour for a possible Sunday evening launch. Liftoff would be at 7:13 p.m. if NASA attempts to launch Sunday. Mike Moses, chairman of that team, said there were 11 lightning strikes within three-tenths of a mile of the pad, although none of them struck the shuttle, external tank or the two solid rocket boosters. At the pad, the shuttle has an elaborate lightning protection system with sensors and wires to direct lightning away from the shuttle and its rockets. “The lightning protection system did its job,” he said. Moses said the assessment can be done in 24 ho
Lightning delays space shuttle Endeavour launch By RON WORD, Associated Press Writer Ron Word, Associated Press Writer – Sat Jul 11, 1:56 pm ET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA scrubbed space shuttle Endeavour’s Saturday evening launch after lightning struck at least 11 times near the seaside launch pad. NASA technicians found no damage after an electrical storm Friday afternoon, but said they will need at least another day to check critical systems. A mission management team plans to meet early Sunday to determine if all the testing has been completed and whether to fuel Endeavour for a possible Sunday evening launch. Liftoff would be at 7:13 p.m. if NASA attempts to launch Sunday. Mike Moses, chairman of that team, said there were 11 lightning strikes within three-tenths of a mile of the pad, although none of them struck the shuttle, external tank or the two solid rocket boosters. At the pad, the shuttle has an elaborate lightning protection system with sensors and wires to direct lightni
The lightning that thwarted today’s planned launch of the space shuttle Endeavour is a familiar problem for NASA’s shuttle fleet. NASA called a 24-hour delay to Endeavour’s scheduled STS-127 lift off to investigate possible damage after a powerful electrical storm hit yesterday and 11 lightning bolts impacted Launch Pad 39A here at the seaside Kennedy Space Center. The Florida coast is often the victim of lightning, as frequent thunderstorms and even hurricanes come in from the ocean on the East. If lightning does occur nearby, the giant metal space shuttle standing tall atop its launch pad tends to attract the brunt of it. “The launch pad gets hit all the time,” said NASA spokesman Allard Beutel. “We’ve never had a direct hit [to the shuttle itself], though.” Sources: http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090711/sc_space/whylightningstrucktheshuttl
