Technicians at NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A in Florida continue testing various systems inside space shuttle Endeavour associated with a newly installed power distribution box, called a Load Control Assembly 2 (LCA-2). So far, all systems have checked out. Teams will retest the LCA-2 over the weekend.
Endeavour’s no earlier than launch date remains May 10, but senior NASA managers will meet today to evaluate the progress of repairs and select a new launch date for the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.
Engineers have been doing forensic engineering testing on the failed LCA-2, which was removed from Endeavour on Tuesday. The LCA-2 feeds power to a variety of systems, including heaters on the fuel line for Endeavour’s auxiliary power unit-1 (APU-1). APUs control the shuttle’s hydraulic system. Teams are trying to determine what caused a circuit inside the power box to short out.
The APU-1 fuel line heaters did not work on April 29, prompting the launch team to scrub Endeavour’s first launch attempt.