Another Day in Space for Foale

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla: Spare a thought for Michael Foale. The British-born NASA Astronaut spent four-and-a-half months on Mir during the station's most critical moments; now he can't even get home. Poor weather, gusty wind and intense cloud-cover over Florida frustrated the Shuttle Atlantis' attempts to return Foale to Earth Sunday. NASA instructed the seven-member shuttle crew to stay aloft an extra day and try to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Monday. It wasn't the only hitch in space traffic: back on Mir, a cargo ship docking was delayed Monday.

Foale has simple tastes: he is apparently looking forward to lasagna, pizza, chocolate and beer when he returns to his wife and children. He may have a while longer for such home comforts. As shuttle commander James Wetherbee said in a call to flight controllers just before bedtime Sunday night: "We'll see you tomorrow, er, maybe we won't see you tomorrow."