Discovery astronaut injured in bicycle accident

An astronaut slated to launch on space shuttle Discovery next month was injured Saturday in a bicycle accident.

Mission specialist Tim Kopra's injuries were not life threatening, NASA officials said. "However, there could be an impact to his duties for shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission," the agency said in a statement.

"That possibility still is being evaluated," NASA said.

Kopra, a retired Army colonel and veteran astronaut, was scheduled to be the mission's main spacewalker. NASA does not train backup crews for shuttle flights.

NASA refused to release further details of Kopra's injuries, citing his medical privacy.

Discovery is targeting a Feb. 24 launch on a mission to the International Space Station.