Lightning delays shuttle launch

Report By Jano
The launch of US shuttle Endeavour has been delayed after a thunderstorm around Cape Canaveral, Nasa officials say.Blast-off was postponed for 24 hours to allow technical teams to assess the effects of lightning strikes near the launch pad on Friday.Two previous launch attempts in June were scrapped because of a potentially hazardous leak in a hydrogen vent line.The craft is to take and install a last piece of Japan's space station lab.Lift-off had been scheduled for 1939 local time (2339 GMT) on Saturday.But on Friday evening, the area surrounding the launch pad was hit by 11 lightning strikes.Head of mission Mike Moses said the launch would take place at 1913 local time (2313 GMT) on Sunday.He added weather forecasts suggested there was a 60% chance of acceptable conditions for take-off.Nasa: 'We're just being cautious'Forecasters earlier had predicted that stormy weather could delay the launch.The launch pad is rigged with lightning protection system designed to attract bolts away from the shuttle.But Nasa said that while none of the strikes hit the shuttle or its external tank and rocket boosters, there were strikes to the lightning mast and water tower.Mike Moses, chairman of the pre-launch Mission Management Team, said checks were continuing but there was no indication so far of any damage to the shuttle's systems."We need to be 100% confident that we have a good system across the board," he said.