
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 22, 1990                   TAG: 9007220151
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

POSTPONED LAUNCH SET FOR TODAY

Crews worked Saturday to repair a helium leak that forced the postponement of the launch of an Atlas rocket, but a spokesman said the problem will be fixed in time for a blastoff today.

The rocket holds a government satellite designed to study Earth's invisible magnetic field.

The launch was scheduled for 3:28 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The leak was caused by a liquid helium vent duct used for engine chilldown that separated in the interstage adapter, the area between the rocket booster and its upper stage, said Jack Isabel, a spokesman for rocket builder General Dynamics. The vent duct was removed, and workers planned to replace it with a new one, he said.

"We don't know what made it separate," Isabel said.

"We are looking forward to a launch attempt," he said. "We're very proud of what's out there."

The leak was not related to helium line damage in June that produced two small holes in the interstage adapter, Isabel said. Helium is needed to chill the rocket's main engines and pressurize the main propulsion system.

- Associated Press

by CNB