Discovery’s final mission, already tardy, will be deferred once again, this time because of a hydrogen fuel leak. Postponed twice due to bad weather and electrical difficulties, the shuttle must wait until at least 30 November for lift-off.

During final inspections, engineers also noticed a 7-inch crack in the foam of the inner shuttle tank. They were concerned that ice could form in the fracture, which could widen the crack and cause problems, said Mike Moses, NASA’s space shuttle launch integration manager, during a press conference. Given the difficulties, the 30 November time frame is only tentative, he added.

“We have a lot to do before we settle on a new launch date,” he said.

The delay means that NASA will have to give up some of the science objectives for the mission, said Moses, though he was unable to specify exactly which ones because the agency must reevaluate its plans before the new launch date.

Discovery’s mission includes bringing supplies to the International Space Station as well as delivering the Permanent Multipurpose Module, which will provide additional space for storage and scientific use. Discovery will also drop off Express rack 8, a holder for storing and supporting experiments on ISS.

Previously: Space Shuttle Discovery’s greatest hits

Image: NASA