sjb (01/26/83)
NASA held the 20 second test firing of Challenger's main engines
on schedule today and had some bleak news to report afterwards.
>From early examination of the data obtained, NASA engineers said
that they have found that the hydrogen leak, still on the same
order of magnitude as it was in December, is coming from the high
pressure sections of at least one engine. Major General James
Abrahamson said that if they have to pull one or more engines, it
will delay the launch by at least 3 or 4 weeks, thus setting future
launch dates back as well. NASA also said that a late February
launch date now looks inaccessible.