A crucial breakdown in the Hubble Space Telescope has caused it to stop sending science data, leaving NASA no choice but to postpone its mission to launch its shuttle, Atlantis until at least February next year.

The blast-off with a crew of seven astronauts was supposedly happening on October 14 but a channel on a control system called Hubble Control Unit/Science Data Formatter, which helps relay data to the ground, has failed and has made the telescope to go into a “safe mode” and cease observations.

According to officials, the problem will caught the telescope unprepared with no backup should the new channel stop working. The delay will give enough time to the engineers to prepare a spare data formatter, and also to get the astronauts and ground controllers prepared for the replacement process.

The Hubble mission cannot be launched until another shuttle, the Space Shuttle Discovery, which is scheduled for a Feb. 12 trip to the space station. As a consequence, the flight will be on or later than February 2009.

On October 26, 1967, McCain flew a bombing mission to a thermal power plant in central Hanoi. McCain’s A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a Soviet-made SA-2 anti-aircraft missile and he spent the next five years as a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He was released on March 15, 1973.

McCain became a commanding officer of a large A-7 Corsair II Navy training squadron stationed in Florida.

In 1962, he was elected to the US House of Representatives from Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. After serving two terms, he was elected to the US Senate from Arizona.

He is now running for the office of President of the United States.

Get the A-4E Skyhawk with USS Forrestal markings at only $149.95!

Three Chinese astronauts made a jubilant return to Earth on Sunday after successfully completing the country’s first ever spacewalk, an event the premier said was “a stride forward” in China’s space history.

The spacewalk was mainly aimed at testing China’s mastery of the technology involved. The sole task of mission commander Zhai Zhigang was to retrieve an experimental rack attached to the outside of the orbital module. He remained outside for about 13 minutes.

Zhai, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng stayed inside for about 46 minutes to adapt to Earth’s gravity before crawling out of the narrow entrance. They were declared healthy after medical examinations inside the module.

“This mission’s success is a milestone; a stride forward,” Premier Wen Jiabao said at mission control.

An 86th Airlift Wing based in Ramstein, Germany  was killed after the September 20 explosion in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Major Rodolfo Rodriguez, 34 years old, of the 86th Construction and Training Squadron, was deployed to the area in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family and friends during this trying time,” said Brig. Gen. William J. Bender, the 86th Airlift Wing commander.

“We will keep Major Rodriguez and his family in our thoughts as we continue to accomplish the mission he dedicated himself to.”

A native of El Paso, Texas, Major Rodriguez served as the 86th CTS Contingency Training Flight chief since May 2008. A private memorial service is planned this week on Ramstein Air Base.