Inclement weather has delayed the return of the STS-117 astronauts to the Earth by one additional orbit. They will attempt another de-orbit burn and landing in about 2 hours, 34 minutes--after completing one more trip around the Earth.

The weather for Thursday morning around KSC in Florida has contained low clouds and thunderstorms within a 30-mile radius of the runway. A front previously located in the Florida Panhandle, northwest of KSC, is the cause of the overcast and rainy conditions at Kennedy.

The Shuttle and its seven-person crew can remain in space until Sunday, based on the availability of fuel left onboard, if the need arises.

If Atlantis cannot land on Thursday, NASA officials will consider landing it at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Friday. The backup site near Las Cruces, New Mexico, the White Sands Test Facility, is also a possibility on Saturday. However, any landing site other than at Florida, will cause more delays in future missions—something NASA does not want to do unless absolutely necessary.

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