Space shuttle Discovery will not now lift off on its final STS-133 mission to the International Space Station until 3 February at the earliest. The venerable vehicle was grounded on November 5 when NASA discovered cracks in two of 108 U-shaped aluminium brackets, known as "stringers", located on the external fuel tank. …

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Monday 6th December 2010 13:29 GMT simon 43

Polyfilla

I'm not surprised they've postponed - the quality of that foam sculpting is awful!

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1. Monday 6th December 2010 14:33 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Agreed
  
  They really should get someone in who knows how to use Artex.
  
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Monday 6th December 2010 14:03 GMT Cucumber C Face

And this week on Blue Peter..

.. we'll be fixing the Space Shuttle's fuel tanks with sticky back plastic.

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Monday 6th December 2010 14:08 GMT Slipgate

April 1st for the final launch...

...Really? Don't they remember Apollo 13, lifting off at 13:13....

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Monday 6th December 2010 14:33 GMT Robert Grant

"I have strong confidence this is a solvable problem."

Wow. I hope he's not paid to communicate :)

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Monday 6th December 2010 14:58 GMT NigelS

Woopsie

According to his Tweet, the launch is actually postponed until April, the next available window after february :(

"NASA RT @ShuttleCDRKelly Our launch date changed. Now 1 April 2011. Unfortunately no visit with my brother Scott @StationCDRKelly in space."

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Monday 6th December 2010 15:40 GMT Annihilator

Feet dragging..

I'll be honest, if my job was going to end with the shuttle programme, I'd be dragging it out as well.

"Sorry guv, dodgy phalange this time. The shuttle has no phalange!"

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1. Tuesday 7th December 2010 00:50 GMT Aaron Em
  
  Hear, hear
  
  I was going to note that, if we had ever developed a spacecraft which didn't require more fussing over than Secretariat*, our manned space program might not have come to this pathetic strait. But I think you've got a better point than I would have.
  
  * Or Amy Winehouse, if you rather
  
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Tuesday 7th December 2010 00:45 GMT BozNZ

Oh the embarrasment

Just scrap it for god-sake, this is getting embarrassing

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Tuesday 7th December 2010 00:50 GMT John Smith 19

You guys know what I'm going to say.

*Very* last chance to test.

Oh, what's the use......

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Tuesday 7th December 2010 00:51 GMT Anonymous Coward

Hmm, this now poses a quandary

I was originally intending to go to Florida in February to watch STS-134 go up, but now do I go for 133 on that schedule, or hang tight for 134? Decisions, decisions...

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