NASA's space shuttle Discovery

Nasa has delayed the launch of space shuttle Discovery (LEFT) for a fourth time amid valve concerns. After an all-day meeting at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, managers decided against launching this week. The launch will now be no sooner than 27 February.


Nasa originally hoped to send Discovery to the International Space Station on 12 February. But extra tests were ordered for the valves that control the flow of hydrogen gas into the external fuel tank during lift-off. One of those valves broke during the last shuttle launch in November.