17 June,2009 01:47 PM IST | | Agencies
US space agency NASA on Wednesday postponed the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour after technicians detected a hydrogen gas leak during fuelling just hours before scheduled lift-off.
The shuttle's launch had been set for 5.40 am (0940 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida for a 16-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was to carry the final pieces to the Japanese Kibo module of the ISS.
The aborted launch followed a four-day delay caused by a similar leak of the potentially hazardous gas from an external fuel tank.
A new launch date was set for July 11, NASA officials said after the mission was called off Wednesday.
The seven-member crew were to install a porch for experiments outside the space station, bring spare equipment and conduct other repairs during five planned spacewalks.
NASA postponed the Endeavour lift-off after it discovered that hydrogen was leaking from a vent line and had to empty the fuel tank containing liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
The problem was similar to one in March that delayed the launch of the Discovery shuttle.
