NASA ready for Discovery launch

Space shuttle Discovery on its 3.4 mile journey to Launch Pad 39A after leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 20.

NASA has given the green light to the launch of Discovery on November 1, after resolving a problem associated with a small fuel leak.

Discovery, which will be making its last voyage to space as NASA winds down the space shuttle programme, was cleared for blastoff at 2040 GMT after completing a flight readiness review, the space agency said on Monday.

NASA engineers drained a fuel line and replaced two seals to ensure a leak would not persist.

NASA is planning at least one more launch of a space shuttle after Discovery some time next year and has not ruled out a second flight.

Discovery will be carrying the last US module to the International Space Station, designed provide additional storage and laboratory space. Discovery will bring additional spare cargo and a new, different kind of resident - the first human-like robot in space, called Robonaut 2 (R2).