The space shuttle Discovery's mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been again delayed until no sooner than February 22 for testing of three flow control valves, NASA said Saturday.
The launch had originally been scheduled for blastoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida on February 12 and was earlier pushed to February 19.
"Because of an ongoing review of the space shuttle's flow control valves, NASA managers are rescheduling meetings next week to assess the launch readiness of shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission to the International Space Station," the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said in a statement.
The Space Shuttle program was to hold a meeting on February 13 to review data and determine whether to move forward with a flight readiness review on February 18, at which time the official launch date will be set for no earlier than February 22, the agency indicated.
Three valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the shuttle's three main engines to the external fuel tank, which contains hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
The shuttle's valves have come under close scrutiny after a valve aboard space shuttle Endeavour was found to be damaged after its 16-day mission in November to the orbiting ISS.
"As a precaution, Discovery's three gaseous hydrogen valves were removed, inspected and reinstalled," NASA said.
Discovery is to take its crew of seven astronauts, including a Japanese astronaut, are to deliver the fourth and last pair of solar panels to the ISS in order to provide enough power to the orbital post to support a crew of three to six people that are to visit the station in May.
The solar arrays will also provide enough power for scientific experiments in the post's European and Japanese laboratories, which were delivered in 2008.
The ISS is scheduled to be completed in 2010, also the target date for the retirement of the US fleet of three space shuttles.
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