STS-116 launch scrubbed

December 8, 2006 NASA has scrubbed the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 to the International Space Station during the final stages of the countdown, after the weather conditions were considered unfavourable for launch, due to a low cloud ceiling and strong winds caused by a low front.

The launch, which was scheduled to be the third Shuttle launch this year, was to have occurred at 02:35 GMT at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, however it has now been rescheduled. The next possible launch can occur at the same time on December 9.

The scrub occurred during an unscheduled hold in the countdown, 5 minutes before the launch was to have occurred.

The STS-116 mission is a flight to the International Space Station, to install a new truss segment, and deploy 4 nanosats. It will also perform a crew change. The mission duration is 12 days.