The Space Shuttle Mission Management Team (MMT) decided in the afternoon, local time, of Saturday 26 August, to postpone the launch of Atlantis from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for at least 24hr to allow more time for teams to assess ground and flight systems following a strong lightning strike to the lightning protection system at the launch pad on Friday 25 August.
"We're going to let the teams go off and work the plans," says launch integration manager and MMT chairman LeRoy Cain. He added that the MMT would review data and decide about a Monday launch when they reconvene at 1400GMT on Sunday 27 August.
If it is determined that all systems are go for a Monday launch the weather around KSC is expected to only present a 20% chance of "no go" and the liftoff time would be 2004GMT.
Source: FlightGlobal.com