NASA Keeps Wary Eye On Weather As Discovery Launch Date Nears

NASA on Sunday was warily eyeing a potentially troublesome weather system that could delay this week’s planned launch of the Discovery space shuttle.

NASA weather officer Kathy Winters told reporters that there was a 40 percent chance that cloud cover or rain could scrub Tuesday’s planned launch.

“We are going to be concerned about the development of cumulus clouds with sea breeze and the possibility of showers. We do have some concern for launch,” Winters said.

The US space agency has set a 10:39 am (1439 GMT) Tuesday launch time for liftoff with seven astronauts aboard.

The countdown started Saturday at noon (1600 GMT) for the the first shuttle launch since the fiery demise of the Columbia shuttle on February 1, 2003.

All seven members of Columbia’s crew were killed when the shuttle disintegrated as it was reentering Earth’s atmosphere.