Space

DATE=7/13/05

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=DISCOVERY LAUNCH POSTPONED (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-325904

BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE=CAPE CANAVERAL

HEAD: Space Shuttle Launch Delayed

INTRO: NASA officials on Wednesday postponed the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from the Kennedy Space Center.

TEXT: Discovery's seven astronauts had boarded the shuttle and the troublesome weather at Cape Canaveral had cleared but in a routine test just two hours from liftoff, NASA engineers discovered a problem with the shuttle's fuel system.

David Wolf, a NASA astronaut, and expert on the shuttle explained the problem on NASA's in-house television network.

/// WOLF ACTUALITY ///

"Once again we have had to scrub the launch for today due to a low level fuel sensor in the external fuel tank, one of a set of four, two of which need to work for launch, for proper behavior in the system."

/// END ACTUALITY ///

The postponement came one day after a plastic and foam window cover fell off the shuttle and caused minor damage to two heat resistant tiles. The tiles were later repaired.

NASA officials say it will take some time to evaluate the fuel sensor problem. NASA has until August 1st to launch Discovery on a rendezvous with the international space shuttle.

The shuttle Columbia was critically damaged shortly after liftoff in early 2003 when a large piece of insulation broke off the external fuel tank and damaged the shuttle's wing, allowing hot gasses to enter and destroy the shuttle when it re-entered earth's atmosphere.

A panel charged with investigating the incident in part blamed a lax attitude towards safety at NASA for contributing to the disaster, something NASA officials say has now changed. (Signed)

NEB/JLT/RH/KBK