[net.columbia] Answers to Problems -- STS-10 Set Back

alb@alice.UUCP (Adam L. Buchsbaum) (12/24/83)

NASA said yesterday that the computer problems faced on STS-9
were caused by microscopic bits of solder and gold dust floating
around in the computers themselves.  These particles caused
short circuits.  Also, a leaky washer in a main fuel control
valve in one APU has been pinned as the cause of at least one
of the two APU fires experienced during reentry of STS-9.

Because of the APU failures, NASA has decided to replace all
three APU's in Challenger with new units, setting the launch
of STS-10 back from 30 January to 3 February.