Darragh MacAnthony looks forward to the last space shuttle launch in Cape Canaveral

NASA is all set to launch the last scheduled flight of Space shuttle Discovery on November 1st.

Discovery’s 39th – and final mission- will take place at 8:00 pm (GMT) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 11-day mission to the International Space Station will begin from next Monday.

According to the space agency, the countdown is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm (GMT) Friday, about a day after the six astronauts of Discovery arrive at Kennedy.

"We're in great shape out at the pad," Launch Director Mike Leinbach said in a NASA release.  The shuttle will also bring Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, and a permanent addition to the orbiting space station, as well as spare parts.

Darragh MacAnthony disappointed by the delay in the Discovery space shuttle launch

The planned final flight next week of the US space shuttle Discovery has been postponed until Wednesday to allow engineers ample time to test repairs made after a leak was detected in the craft, space agency NASA said late Saturday.

Discovery was first slated to launch Monday afternoon for its last flight. The takeoff was first rescheduled for Tuesday but is now planned for 3.52pm (1952 GMT) Wednesday at Kennedy Space Centre on Cape Canaveral, Florida.

NASA technicians had discovered helium and nitrogen leaks in one of the shuttle's engine pods.

Discovery is the oldest spacecraft in the US shuttle fleet and will be the first to be officially retired after this final mission, an 11-day trip to the orbiting International Space Station with six astronauts aboard.