NATIONAL BRIEFING / FLORIDA
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NASA delayed the launch of space shuttle Endeavour by at least four days after discovering a potentially dangerous hydrogen gas leak similar to one that cropped up three months ago.
The countdown was halted shortly after midnight Friday, about 2 1/2 hours into the fueling of the external tank and less than seven hours before Endeavour was due to blast off on a space station construction mission. The astronauts had yet to suit up.
Launch director Mike Leinbach said it was a significant leak. Hydrogen gas is extremely volatile and can burn in large enough quantities, he noted.
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