Cape Canaveral, Florida - Nasa is delaying its November space shuttle launch by four days to provide more breathing room for a test flight of its new rocket.

Atlantis was supposed to lift off on November 12. Now launch is targeted for November 16.

Nasa said on Monday that the delay will make it easier to get the experimental Ares rocket flying next week.

The Ares I-X is supposed to blast off on October 27 on a brief suborbital flight. Nasa will move the rocket to the pad on Tuesday morning.

The Ares test vehicle will carry neither people nor payloads when it takes off.
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