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Stormy Weather Could Postpone Atlantis' Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL (CBS4) - The weather is not looking good for this Friday's scheduled launch of the space shuttle Atlantis.

No hail or other severe conditions are anticipated, and mission managers say the weather would have to get worse before the launch is called off.

However, forecasters have said there's a 70 percent chance that rain or thunderstorms will prevent the launch.

A rain-free, storm-free zone is needed 23 miles around for the shuttle to take off.

Atlantis will make one final supply run to the International Space Station before retiring. As many as 1 million spectators are expected to jam the Cape Canaveral area for the historic send-off.

NASA says if Atlantis isn't flying by Sunday, it'll have to wait until at least July 16.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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