Nasa took the space shuttle Atlantis off the launch pad today – then changed their minds and sent her back.
The craft was a mile into the ten-hour journey to the Vehicle Assembly Building when the surprising about-turn occurred.
She was being carried on a giant crawler transporter because of fears of a storm bearing down on the Kennedy Space Center from Cuba. But when forecasts of Tropical Storm Ernesto’s intensity were re-evaluated, space chiefs decided to weather it out. The storm is due to pass through tomorrow night.
Nasa are keen to get Atlantis into space before the current launch window closes on September 7. Atlantis was due to lift off on Sunday but that was cancelled after the launch tower was struck by lightning.