NASA delays shuttle Atlantis' landing due to bad weather

2009-05-22 13:14:41 GMT2009-05-22 21:14:41 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis' landing to Earth has been delayed due to bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA said Friday.

"Weather conditions made it an easy call. The weather was not going cooperate today," said mission commentator Kyle Herring.

Atlantis had been scheduled to touch down at 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT). NASA then set a second landing opportunity at 11:39 a.m. (1539 GMT) but poor weather "continues to be a concern," it said before cancelling the attempt on Friday altogether.

NASA Flight Director Norm Knight and the entry team will evaluate weather conditions at Kennedy before permitting Atlantis and its crew to land at 9:16 a.m. EDT (1316 GMT) Saturday. A second Kennedy landing opportunity is at 10:54 a.m. EDT (1454 GMT). The shuttle also has landing opportunities at Edwards Air Force Base in California at 10:46 a.m. and 12:24 p.m.

If Atlantis does not land Saturday, there are multiple landing opportunities Sunday at Kennedy, Edwards, or White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

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