Rainy weather delays space shuttle landing

? Rain and low clouds prevented Atlantis from returning to Florida on Thursday, but mission managers were hopeful the space shuttle would be able to touch down a day later, even if it meant landing in California.

During Atlantis’ two chances to land, showers were within 34 miles of the landing strip at Kennedy Space Center, and clouds hung below an altitude of 8,000 feet, both violations of flight rules.

Mission managers today will activate the shuttle’s backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California. There will be three chances for the shuttle to land today at Edwards, although winds were expected to be too strong for the last two.

The shuttle has five chances today to land in either Florida or California, the first at 1:18 p.m. CDT in Florida and the last at 5:59 p.m. CDT in California. If the weather spoils all those opportunities, mission managers would activate another backup landing site in New Mexico and try for Saturday.

Atlantis has enough power for its systems to orbit until Sunday, but managers want the shuttle to land by Saturday.