With the main engine checkouts of the Discovery space shuttle Tuesday divulging an apparent electrical glitch in the backup controller for the shuttle's Main Engine No. 3, the launch of the shuttle has been delayed by a day.

According to the information forwarded by NASA, the main engine checkouts revealed voltage irregularities; and engineering teams subsequently started looking into the problem.

The glitch thus prevents an on-time launch of the space shuttle on November 3; with the next attempt to launch the shuttle not likely to come before 3:29 p. m. on Thursday, November 4.

The 24-hour delay in the Discovery's launch will enable the mission managers to address the anomaly noted in the circuitry linked to the shuttle's backup main engine computer.

In case there is no need for any major repairs to be conducted and the engineers give the go-ahead, the six-member Discovery crew - led by commander Steven Lindsey - would probably be cleared for launch on Thursday, provided the weather is conducive.

Meanwhile, referring to the one-day extension of the countdown for Discovery's launch on its 39th and final flight, Launch Director Michael Leinbach said jokingly that "it's another day in paradise'; and added: "Discovery's not going out easy. She's giving us a little bit of trouble. But that's fine. She'll fly perfectly when she does." (IANS)