US: Nasa technicians carried out new tests yesterday to check whether space shuttle Atlantis was damaged by a lightning strike and the US space agency said the shuttle's launch would be delayed at least until tomorrow.
Nasa is seeking to determine whether the shuttle's twin solid rocket boosters could have been affected by a huge bolt of lightning that hit the Florida launch pad on Friday afternoon.
"Mission managers have determined shuttle Atlantis will not launch before Tuesday," Nasa said in a statement.
It had originally been scheduled to launch yesterday, and was then set for today. Nasa said the additional delay was due to "the need for additional time for further analysis of the shuttle and ground systems". "They're looking to see if the solid rocket boosters got a high voltage or currents from the strike," spokesman Allard Buetel said.
Hurricane Ernesto could also be a concern. The most likely path of the storm, which was moving through the Caribbean yesterday, could take it ashore on the west coast of Florida and across the state north of Cape Canaveral on Thursday.