NASA skips Discovery's 1st landing attempt
(AP)
Updated: 2005-08-09 15:58

NASA ordered the astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery to bypass the first landing opportunity of the day on Tuesday because of stormy weather off the Florida coast, the Associated Press reported.

"At this time, we're going to ask you guys to watch the earth go by for one more rev," or revolution, Mission Control told shuttle commander Eileen Collins. "We do appreciate your patience and good humor with the situation."

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi of Japan (top, R) answers a question during a crew news conference with fellow crew members (front row, L-R) Pilot James Kelly, Commander Eileen Collins, Steve Robinson along with (back row, (L-R) Andy Thomas of Australia, Charlie Camarda, Wendy Lawrence and Noguchi on the flight deck of Discovery August 7, 2005. [Reuters]

The agency had a second landing opportunity in Florida at 6:43 a.m. EDT, 90 minutes after the first.

If the weather did not improve for the second opportunity, flight controllers planned to land the shuttle in California.

"All we can do is watch it and hope that it gets more stable," Mission Control said of the weather.

Collins said the crew was familiar with Florida storms and was "not surprised at all."

"I've been in your shoes many times so I understand," Collins said.

Earlier, the astronauts had powered up their spacecraft and closed Discovery's payload bay doors as they awaited word on which, if any, of several landing opportunities they would attempt.

"We sure hope we get our feet on the ground today," astronaut Wendy Lawrence radioed after Mission Control roused the astronauts late Monday with the Beatles song "Good Day Sunshine."

Controllers said the song was appropriate after the crew had to abandon two attempts to return Monday when clouds obscured the runway at the Kennedy Space Center.

Flight Director LeRoy Cain was confident he would get the crew to Florida or one of two alternate sites.

"We will attempt to land somewhere," Cain said.

The space center remained NASA's first choice for an early morning touchdown. Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert was the next choice, and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico was a distant third.

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