Shuttle return delayed until 2005

Space shuttles will not fly again until next year, and when one does lift off on the first post-Columbia mission, another will be on standby for a potential rescue mission.

Nasa’s senior spaceflight officials have decided to push back the next launch to March 2005 because of lingering work and engineering concerns, and picked Discovery to be first up. Atlantis will serve as a rescue craft, if needed.