NASA spokesman William Parsons said delays in safety assessments and routine preflight preparations are making it hard to reach the goal of launching Discovery at the beginning of a 20-day window that begins May 15.

However, he said he was confident the craft would be ready to begin its 12-day mission to the International Space Station before June 3, the New York Times reports.

Parsons said while workers at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida have done everything they can to get the ship ready, a series of minor delays has used up all contingency days allowed in the schedule for unexpected problems.

NASA's shuttles - Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour - have been grounded since the Columbia and its crew of seven were lost Feb. 1, 2003, in a fiery re-entry accident.

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