Atlantis landing postponed until Saturday

HOUSTON, May 22 (UPI) -- Poor weather conditions prevented the the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis from landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA said Friday.

The landing was rescheduled for Saturday.

Two landings were waved off at the center because weather conditions wouldn't permit a safe landing, the space agency said on its Web site.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration official Greg Johnson said the landing officially was a "no go" because of thunderstorms, low cloud ceilings and showers over land and the Atlantic Ocean.

Saturday morning presents the next landing opportunity at Kennedy Space Center, NASA said. Edwards Air Force Base in California also will be activated for landing consideration, officials said.

Atlantis arrived May 13 at the Hubble Space Telescope, where the crew performed five spacewalks to repair and upgrade the telescope.