A SECOND COUNTDOWN TO THE LAUNCH OF SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY WAS CANCELLED SUNDAY DUE TO A STORM LOOMING OVER FLORIDA, DPA REPORTED. EVEN AFTER COUNTDOWN COMMENCED EARLIER SUNDAY NASA OFFICIALS HAD PUT THE CHANCES OF A LAUNCH AT JUST 30 PER CENT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE LAUNCH WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE DURING ABOUT A ONE-HOUR WINDOW BEGINNING AT 3:26 PM (1926 GMT). HOWEVER, NASA METEOROLOGISTS PREDICTED POSSIBLE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS PROMPTING A CANCELLATION. NASA IS LIKELY TO REATTEMPT THE LAUNCH COUNTDOWN ON TUESDAY. ON SATURDAY THE THREAT OF NEARBY STORMS CAUSED NASA TO POSTPONE THE MISSION LESS THAN 10 MINUTES BEFORE LIFTOFF FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE IN FLORIDA. THE SPACE AGENCY HAS UNTIL JULY 19 TO DELIVER GERMAN ASTRONAUT THOMAS REITER TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS). DISCOVERY'S SCHEDULED 12-DAY FLIGHT WILL ALSO DELIVER WATER, FOOD AND CLOTHING TO THE STATION. ASTRONAUTS ARE TO CARRY OUT URGENT REPAIRS ON THE ISS AND TO TEST NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR IN-SPACE REPAIRS OF THE SHUTTLE. THE SHUTTLE PROGRAMME HAS BEEN GROUNDED SINCE DISCOVERY'S JULY 2005 FLIGHT BECAUSE OF CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH SHEDDING FOAM ON TAKEOFF. SUNDAY'S LAUNCH WOULD BE ONLY THE SECOND SINCE THE 2003 SHUTTLE DISASTER, WHEN THE COLUMBIA SPACECRAFT BROKE UP ON REENTRY DUE TO A HOLE PUNCHED INTO HEAT-SHIELDING TILES FROM SIMILAR DEBRIS ON TAKEOFF. UNPRECEDENTED PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO PROTECT DISCOVERY FROM THE KIND OF DAMAGE ON TAKEOFF THAT DOOMED COLUMBIA AND PLAGUED DISCOVERY'S LAST MISSION.
