spacetoday.net: Weather delays STS-133 launch to Friday

Posted: Thu, Nov 4, 2010, 8:03 AM ET (1203 GMT)
STS-133: on pad before launch (NASA/KSC)

NASA decided early Thursday to delay the launch of the space shuttle Discovery until Friday because of poor weather in Florida. The agency had hoped to launch Discovery on mission STS-133 on Thursday afternoon, after engineers cleared an issue with a main engine controller that previously delayed the launch from Wednesday to Thursday. However, with rain in Florida Thursday morning, and forecasts predicting low odds of acceptable weather, managers scrubbed Thursday's launch before beginning fueling of the shuttle's external tank. Launch is now scheduled for 3:04 pm EDT (1904 GMT) Friday, although winds could delay that launch. Discovery's launch window extended through Sunday.