Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!citek.UUCP!rax8
From: rax8@citek.UUCP (Steve Roberson )
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Leaks vs. Age
Message-ID: <13622@mcdphx.phx.mcd.mot.com>
Date: 19 Sep 90 14:25:45 GMT
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Reply-To: rax8@citek.UUCP (Steve Roberson )
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Organization: Motorola Microcomputer Division, Tempe, Az.
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Since these leaks seem to be a recent development, I wonder if it has to
do with the age of the spacecraft? Columbia is the oldest shuttle. Does it
also have the most flights logged? At one time NASA advertised that the
shuttles had a lifetime of "100 flights". Well, they have been wrong before
(remember that 2-week turnaround claim?) so perhaps this spacecraft has
reached it's limit?

I know that so much maintenance is done between flights that probably few
original parts are still in use, but isn't it possible that Columbia is
simply worn out?

Will someone please post a list of the number of flights per vehical?