NASA finds leak that led to shuttle's delay

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA has found the oxygen leak that delayed space shuttle Endeavour's launch earlier this week, but now is trying to determine whether the ship's robot arm was damaged during inspections.\nThe countdown was halted with only two hours remaining Sunday night because of an abrupt leak in the astronauts' oxygen supply, and the launch was postponed until Nov. 18 at the earliest.\nNASA spokesman Bruce Buckingham said Wednesday that the leak was traced overnight to a flex hose in Endeavour's midbody. "They think this is it," he said.\nEngineers do not know when or how the line was damaged, Buckingham said.\nWhile working in Endeavour's payload bay, however, technicians bumped a platform into the shuttle's cradled robot arm on Tuesday.\nSome of the thermal insulation on the arm was torn, Buckingham said. No one knows yet whether the 50-foot crane itself was damaged; X-rays have been taken. The crane is needed for assembly work during Endeavour's visit at the international space station.