Atlantis’ astronauts checked their ship’s flight systems and packed up Thursday in hopes of an on-time end to their triumphant Hubble Space Telescope repair mission, although the weather prospects were dismal. Thunderstorms pounded NASA’s spaceport throughout the morning, and more bad weather was expected Friday when Atlantis was due to return home. The rain did not dampen NASA’s jubilation over the crew’s impressive Hubble repairs, which garnered presidential kudos.
