spacetoday.net: Weather could delay shuttle landing

Posted: Thu, May 21, 2009, 8:29 PM ET (0029 GMT)

Poor weather at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida could keep the shuttle aloft for an extra day and possibly force it to land in California. Atlantis is scheduled to land at KSC at 10:01 am EDT (1401 GMT) Friday, but current forecasts call for clouds and rain that would prevent a landing. If weather conditions are unacceptable Friday, shuttle managers plan to keep the shuttle in orbit another day and try on Saturday to land either at KSC or Edwards Air Force Base in California, where weather conditions are forecast to be good. Atlantis has enough supplies to remain in orbit until Monday. Shuttle managers also decided to stop preparations for a contingency launch of the shuttle Endeavour in the event a "rescue" mission was needed for Atlantis. Inspections of Atlantis's tiles and panels have turned up no damage that would pose a risk to reentry, eliminating the need for the rescue mission.