Nasa postpones Endeavour launch over technical fault
The mission will involve five spacewalks to further work on the Kibo laboratory pictured above
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Saturday, 13, Jun 2009 11:44
Nasa has postponed the launch of space shuttle Endeavour after detecting a fault in its ventilation system.
Endeavour was scheduled to take off towards the International Space Station today but the mission was delayed until at least June 17th in order to repair the problems in its fuel system.
A spokesperson for the Florida-based agency said: "Nasa postponed space shuttle Endeavour's launch to the International Space Station on Saturday because of a leak associated with the gaseous hydrogen venting system outside the shuttle's external fuel tank.
"The system is used to carry excess hydrogen safely away from the launch pad," it added.
Managers will hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss repair work on the shuttle and when to begin the 16-day mission, which will feature five spacewalks to complete construction of the Kibo laboratory for Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Astronauts will attach a platform to the outside of the module that will allow experiments to be exposed to space.