
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 11, 1991                   TAG: 9104110102
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

WEATHER LEAVES ATLANTIS LANDING PLANS UP IN AIR

The crew of the shuttle Atlantis got an extra day in space Wednesday because of strong desert wind in California that prevented them from landing and threatened today's touchdown plans.

NASA flight directors said they would decide at the last minute this morning whether the landing would be in California or Florida or to keep the five-member crew up even longer.

Blustery wind whipped across Edwards Air Force Base in California all morning Wednesday, wiping out both possible landing times.

NASA rescheduled the landing for 9:56 a.m. EDT today at Edwards. But flight director Wayne Hale said more high wind was expected there.

The Kennedy Space Center's runway is the backup landing strip, but weather conditions also did not look good there for today. A Florida landing would be an orbit earlier at 8:25 a.m. EDT.

NASA will consider Kennedy if the weather at Edwards remains bad, Hale said.

NASA prefers the desert lake bed at Edwards over Kennedy's single concrete strip, which provides less room for maneuvering.

Friday's forecast is good for both California and Florida, Hale said. The shuttle's crew has enough supplies to stay up until Saturday.

by CNB