spacetoday.net: Endeavour diverted to California

Posted: Wed, Jun 19, 2002, 11:27 AM ET (1527 GMT)
STS-111 patch (NASA)

Poor weather for the third consecutive day in Florida has led NASA to try a landing of the shuttle Endeavour in California this afternoon instead. NASA had hoped to bring the shuttle down during one of two landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center, but thickening clouds and the threat of showers forced managers to wave off those two landing attempts. NASA is now targeting a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, at 1:58 pm EDT (1758 GMT). Weather conditions there are reported to be acceptable. NASA made every effort to land the shuttle in Florida to avoid processing delays associated with a California landing that could delay Endeavour's next mission, currently scheduled for early October.