Article Posted on : - Dec 04, 2010

Space Shuttle Discovery

WASHINGTON (AFP): The launch of the space shuttle Discovery on its final mission to the International Space Station will be delayed until February as engineers try to fix technical problems, the US space agency has said.

The next launch attempt could be on February 3, mission managers told a press conference on Friday.

The ageing shuttle's last attempt to launch was scratched on November 5 when technicians found a hydrogen leak and later a series of long cracks on the shuttle's external fuel tank.

"When this problem first occurred we were expecting to find an obvious problem," said John Shannon, space shuttle programme manager.

"As we have gone through the investigation we have not found that obvious problem."