NASA mulls welding repairs for shuttle cracks

(CNN) -- NASA is close to making a decision on what to do about the cracked liquid hydrogen lines that have grounded its fleet of space shuttles, the space agency announced Friday.

Since the cracks were discovered in all four shuttles last month, NASA officials have been trying to decide if it was safe to launch the shuttles with the cracked fuel lines or if the lines should be repaired or replaced.

Shuttle Manager Ron Dittimore said he is leaning toward using a welding technique to repair the cracks, but he said researchers will meet Wednesday to make the final decision.

If everything goes as planned, repairs could begin as early as August 5, Dittimore said at a Johnson Space Center news conference in Texas. Welding the cracks and testing the repairs should only take a few days, he said.

NASA announced last week that it would be ready for the next shuttle launch no earlier than September 26. Dittimore said Friday the launch could be close to that date.

Originally, space shuttle Columbia was scheduled to be launched July 19, carrying a science research mission and a crew that includes the first Israeli astronaut.

NASA has not set a new launch schedule, but that mission is likely to be delayed until at least December.

Assembling and maintaining the international space station is a higher priority, NASA officials said, and the next mission to leave Earth will carry another piece of the station.

If the shuttles are grounded past September 26, Russia may have to resupply and change the space station crew.