By Irene Klotz
Managers at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida planned to meet early on Thursday to assess the forecast and decide whether to fill shuttle Atlantis' fuel tank for a launch at 2:45 p.m. (1945 GMT) on a mission to deliver Europe's first permanent laboratory to the International Space Station.
"I wish I had a better weather report," Air Force meteorologist Kathy Winters said. "We do have a lot of concerns for launch tomorrow."
The front will have lost much of its punch by the time it reaches Florida but the cold air hitting Florida's warm coastal breezes is expected to kick up rain, thick clouds and possibly even dangerous thunderstorms, Winters said.
The shuttle is carrying Columbus, Europe's first permanent space laboratory, into orbit. The module is to be attached to the space station during Atlantis' weeklong stay at the outpost.
The laboratory, which cost about 1.3 billion euros ($1.9 billion) was postponed first by Russian delays launching the space station's service module and then by the 2003 Columbia accident, which suspended shuttle flights for 2 1/2 years.
Europe also is preparing for launch of the first of five cargo ships to the station. The Automated Transfer Vehicle is scheduled to be launched aboard an unmanned Ariane rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on March 8, said Alan Thirkettle, the ESA space station program manager.
(Editing by Jim Loney and Peter Cooney)
