SHANNON Lucid, the US astronaut who has been on board Russia's Mir space station since March, may have her stay extended by a problem with NASA's shuttle. The fault resembles the one that led to the 1986 Challenger disaster.
The shuttle Atlantis was supposed to retrieve Lucid next month. But NASA has grounded its shuttles until it can determine why the solid rocket boosters used in the latest shuttle launch on 20 June both show signs of damage from leaking exhaust.
The tubular solid rocket motorseach made of four segments fastened togetherfall into the ocean after liftoff and are reused. These joints are sealed by rubber "O-rings", which in turn are protected from hot exhaust gases by a layer of adhesive. The Challenger explosion happened when exhaust burnt through one of the O-rings.
After the disaster, the joints in the solid rocket boosters were redesigned. But ground crews ...
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