Monday, July 3 2006 12:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Inclement weather forced NASA to delay the launch of space shuttle Discovery for another 48 hours, and the next launch attempt is planned for Tuesday.

"We've concluded that we're not going to have a chance to launch today," launch director Mike Leinbach announced to his team Sunday.

"Our next attempt will take place Tuesday, with lift-off scheduled to occur at 2.38 p.m. EDT," he said.

The weather is expected to improve, although rain is still in the forecast.

On Saturday, the threat of nearby storms had caused NASA to postpone the mission less than 10 minutes before lift-off 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 is to deliver water, food and clothing to the station. Astronauts are to carry out urgent repairs on the ISS and test new technology for in-space repairs of the shuttle. The shuttle programme had been grounded since Discovery's July 2005 flight because of continuing problems with shedding foam on takeoff.