Small Pin’s Discovery Halts Shuttle Launch

NASA called off the planned launch of space shuttle Discovery from Kennedy Space Center after a small metal pin was found on a fuel line a few hours before liftoff. The 4-inch pin was wedged next to the liquid-oxygen line between Discovery and its external fuel tank. Engineers feared the pin could fall onto the launch pad 35 feet below and ricochet up toward the shuttle or get sucked into one of the main engines at ignition. A NASA official said another launch attempt would probably be made this evening. It will be the fourth launch attempt in less than a week.