spacetoday.net: STS-133 launch delayed to at least Thursday

Posted: Wed, Nov 3, 2010, 7:15 AM ET (1115 GMT)

Shuttle managers late Tuesday decided to postpone the launch of the shuttle Discovery to at least Thursday to check an issue with a main engine controller. The launch, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, is now planned for no earlier than 3:29 pm EDT (1929 GMT) Thursday. Engineers noticed an electrical transient in a controller in one of the shuttle's three main engines when the system was powered up Tuesday. Shuttle managers said they believed the problem would be cleared, but that they needed additional time to review data in order to be clear the issue would not pose a risk for launch. Weather is less favorable for Thursday, though, with only a 30-percent chance of acceptable launch conditions. NASA has until Sunday to launch Discovery or stand down to the beginning of December.