European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday March 16, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 7crack in shuttle endeavour won t delay flights e stress related Frace same parts on All Cape canaveral Fla. Up surprised Engi neers found a tiny crack in a hinge mechanism from to new shuttle endeavour meaning Tures now have been found in to four of the nations space shuttles. But William Lenoir Nasa associate administrator for space flight said the latest crack found thursday would not affect the Agency a new launch schedule which now lists six flights in 199.1 and three launches in less than eight weeks starting with the planned Takeoff around april 5 of the shuttle Atlantis a in the Long run its not going to matter and it will hot affect our schedule a he told reporters at the Kennedy space Center. Overnight engineers hauled Atlantis to launch pad 39b for final flight preparations. The ships five member Crew is scheduled to Fly to Florida sunday for a practice countdown next week that will set the stage for launch. While the crack found thursday in a hinge Assembly taken from endeavour will not affect the shuttle launch order it could cause a minor additional delay for discovery a planned april Takeoff on a military Mission. That flight originally was planned for March 9, but it was delayed to late april because of cracks in the hinge mechanisms of critical fuel line doors that must close properly in space to permit a Safe re entry. Hinge assemblies were removed from the newly built shuttle endeavour to replace those aboard discovery. But engineers thursday discovered a crack in one of the replacement hinges that measures a Quarter of an incl Long and 60-thousandths of an Inch deep. That is about twice As severe As a crack in one of Atlantis a hinge assemblies that was deemed Safe to Fly As is. Similar cracks were found aboard the shuttle Columbia and in every Case stress and Metal fatigue is believed to be the culprit. Even though endeavour has never been launched the doors have been opened and closed for testing and maintenance. Nasa originally hoped to launch seven shuttle missions in 1991, but the crack problem threw a wrench into the space Agency a Manifest. Nasa managers have tentatively approved the following launch schedule a april 5 Atlantis takes off at 9 18 . Est on a 5-Day Mission to launch the Gamma Ray Observatory. This is the first shuttle flight since december. A april 25 tentative discovery is scheduled for launch on an 8-Day military flight. Launch originally was planned for March 9 but it was delayed to fix the hinge cracks new hinge repairs threaten additional delay. A. A Quot Quot a a May 22 Columbia blasts off on a space lab life sciences Mission. A july 25 Atlantis carries a Nasa communications satellite into orbit. The satellite originally was scheduled for a june launch aboard discovery. A sept. 19 discovery carrying an environmental satellite is launched. A nov. 15 Atlantis is launched on an unclassified military Mission to put a defense support program Early warning satellite into orbit. Atlantis november Mission originally was planned for july but it was bumped to late in the year by the decision to switch the Nasa communications satellite from discovery to Atlantis. To launch the military satellite in november Nasa had to delay a materials processing science Mission until Jan. 13. Swenson braves blizzard to win id Farod sled race Nome Alaska apr while other mushers turned Back in a blizzard Rick Swenson slowed ahead through thigh High snowdrifts to win a record fifth Idi Tarod Trail sled dog race Friday. Swenson and his dog team crossed the finish line on front Street in Nome at 1 35 ., winning in an unofficial time of 12 Days 16 hours and 34 minutes. The 1,163-mile race which usually lasts 11 to 14 Days began in Anchorage on March 2. A record 75 mushers and More than 1,400 dogs competed. About 500 cheering spectators stood on both sides of a Snow fenced Chute Friday stomping their feet swinging their and trying to stay warm in wind chill temperatures of 50 degrees below Zero. A Siren sounded Swenson sentry into this historic Gold Rush Community and he waved from behind his sled As it moved off the Bering sea coast and onto front Street. A the dogs Are the champs a Swenson told reporters. Martin Buser a Swiss born Musher from big Lake emerged from the blizzard to finish no. 2, crossing the finish line at 3 41 . Defending Champion and four time Winner Susan Butcher was headed toward the third place spot. Swenson 40, of two Rivers takes iwo Jima Norfolk a. Up a the Navy concluded that the commander and the chief Engineer of the amphibious assault ship iwo Jima were derelict in their duties following a steam leak Accident that killed 10 sailors in october. Capt. Michael of Hearn 46, the ships commander and the unidentified chief Engineer were issued letters of reprimand after vice . Stanley Arthur commander of the Central Comdr a naval forces held hearings for both officers last week. The hearings were held while the ship was in port at Home $50,000 from a $300,000 purse. Buser gets $39,500 for finishing second. Third place is Worth $32,000. Butcher had held a one hour Lead thursday but lost it when she reversed course during a whiteout. Swenson and Buser gambled big on the weather hoping their teams could find their Way through the storm. Swenson left the final checkpoint late thursday for the final 22 Miles. Butcher 1989 Winner Joe Runyan and Tim Osmar had lost the Trail and returned to the White Mountain Check Point 77 Miles from the finish line. They ended out again thursday night. Wind in the White Mountain area thursday gusted from 46 to 57 Mph and the temperature was about 20 degrees below Zero. Swenson said thursday he took shelter from the whiteout in an abandoned Cabin along the Trail. Then he trusted his dogs to find their Way. A i knew there were an awful lot of people pulling for me a he said a and i Wasny to going to let them Down and turn the Anchorage to Nome race recreates a historic 1925 relay by dog sled carrying lifesaving serum during a diphtheria epidemic. The race is named for an old mining town along the route. H�?~4 i r a it i l iut 4 s #1 i e a Rick Swenson of two Rivers Alaska and his dog team head for the finish line in Nome to win the 1,163-mile id Tarod Trail sled dog race. He won for the fifth time. Bahrain in the persian Gulf the virginian Pilot reported Friday. Officials said the two officers will be allowed to retain their commands. The non judicial punishment was based on the findings of a three member panel of inquiry. Those findings have not been made Public. The Accident rocked the iwo Jima on oct. 30, while the helicopter Carrier was in the persian Gulf. Crew members said a High pressure steam line burst at a valve that had been installed with brass bolts instead of More resilient stainless steel bolts. The faulty installation took place while the ship was in port in Bahrain but within hours after leaving the brass bolts broke spewing 850-degree steam under 600 pounds of pressure. Six men were killed instantly and four others died later that Day. The iwo Jima which was repaired in time to participate in the Gulf War is expected Back in Norfolk within a month. A a a a in Houston Houston up a the controversial movie a new Jack City has been pulled from a theater because managers were concerned about the safety of moviegoers and employees. Officials at the Houston and Dallas divisional offices of the am theater Chain decided to remove the film from the Meyer Park 14 theater Complex thursday. The movie about police detectives trying to break up a drug gang will continue show eng in three other Houston locations. A we Felt that out of concern for our customers and employees it would be Best to discontinue the running of the picture a said Mario Marques District manager for am. The decision came after beefed up Security Crews at the theater ejected about 100 a new Jack viewers for intoxication or unruly behaviour during showings last weekend. Marques said. Two people were arrested. A a we be shown Eddie Murphy. We be shown a colors another controversially violent film about gangs. But this has been the worst a he said. Meyer Park had sold out about three fourths of its screenings of the movie which was the nations a a cond highest grossing film last weekend. But scattered violence also erupted at Heaters showing the film. A riot occurred in los Angeles and a shooting death was reported in new York. A in the Short term there is a financial loss involved for the theater a Marques said. The decision to pull the film did not involve the Issue of liability he said but a the safety of our patrons and the employees of our state rep. Ron Wilson whose Houston District includes the Meyer Park theater criticized the decision to pull a new Jack City Quot which he said he has seen twice. A there was More violence in a the godfather ii than in a new Jack there was More violence in a scar face than in a new Jack City a a he said. A i did no to see any problems at the theater and i went on an afternoon during the three other am Heaters showing the film in Houston have reported no problems. Spokesmen for the Lowes and Cine plex Odeon chains also reported no trouble although some have increased Security
