The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) suspended further flights after a small piece of debris fell off during the launch of the shuttle Discovery on Tuesday.

Images of Discovery were being studied by experts for signs of damage that might compromise its return August 7.

The Discovery carried several tons of supplies for the space station, which will have to rely on shipments by smaller Russian rockets if the shuttle flights continue to be suspended.

"Certainly, the program will continue," said Dieter Isakeit, a member of the ESA board, said flights are limited anyway in winter.

While the station could continue to receive supplies via the Russian rockets, "this is enough only to ensure the exploitation of the station, not its development," Isakeit added.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) said it was concerned that a shuttle flight with German astronaut Thomas Reiter, which had been scheduled for September, would have to be postponed.

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