The Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission has been delayed for a sixth time following the discovery of more damage to the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission is now unlikely to take place until at least 16 December. If the Discovery misses its 16 December launch date it will not fly until next year, as 17 December is the cut-off date for Shuttle launches because of millennium bug concerns.
Mission STS 103 was previously set for a 9 December launch, but NASA must replace a damaged coolant pipe surrounding a liquid-hydrogen feed pipe to one of the main engines. The dented pipe, found during a routine inspection, is the latest discovery of damaged components on the Shuttle fleet.
The Hubble servicing mission was originally set for next June, but was brought forward following last month's failure of the fourth of six gyros on the telescope.
Source: Flight International