Engineers Hope to Pin Delta 4 Rocket Glitch by Mid-February

Posted on: Jan. 25th, 2005 || Source: space.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Engineers probing the trouble experienced on the Boeing Delta 4-Heavy rocket's test flight have cleared 40 potential causes of the main engines cutting off prematurely, leaving 9 scenarios on the table, including the leading theory that bubbles formed in the liquid oxygen plumbing.

"The investigation team is making solid progress in identifying the cause of the early engine shutdowns. The investment the Delta 4 team made in additional telemetry has helped support the engineers as they narrow in on the cause of anomaly. I remain confident we will then be able to find solutions that allow us to avoid this problem on future flights," said Col. John Insprucker, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program director at the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center.

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