NASA Managers to Discuss Discovery Repairs

NASA managers will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST Tuesday at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will discuss Discovery's STS-133 flight to the International Space Station and talk about the progress of repairs since the shuttle's original launch date last November.

The participants are Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations; John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager; and Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager.

Space Shuttle Program managers briefed senior NASA officials Monday about the status of repairs and engineering evaluations associated with cracks found on 21-foot-long, U-shaped aluminum brackets called stringers on the shuttle's external fuel tank. Managers approved installing small strips of metal, called radius blocks, on the tank's remaining stringers. Testing and analysis completed to date show the modification will provide additional strength to the stringers.

The news conference will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.