Due to heavy clouds, rain and thunderstorms, the US space shuttle passed its first landing opportunity. NASA officials said the shuttle would make a later attempt to land following its 13-day trip to the ISS.

If flight controllers give STS-117 the go-ahead to land on the second opportunity, Orbit 203, Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault will fire Atlantis’ thrusters at 2:25 p.m. (1825 GMT) to begin the descent to Florida, NASA said.

If the second attempt will be also unsuccessful, Atlantis’s astronauts could opt to land the shuttle on Friday, either in Florida or at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

"Tomorrow is the first day of summer, and we know what summer brings to Florida, and that is afternoon thunderstorms," said John Shannon, chairman of the mission management team.

Flight controllers and forecasters with the Spaceflight Meteorology Group continue to monitor weather conditions at and around the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Florida spaceport.

Atlantis undocked from the ISS on Tuesday after conducting four spacewalks to install a new solar panel to the station and repair a damaged heat blanket on the shuttle.

According to NASA, a landing at Kennedy Space Center is preferred since there would be less cost and time in preparing Atlantis for its next mission. "Obviously, we would prefer to stay at the Cape if we can," Shannon explained.

STS-117 is the 118th shuttle mission and 21st mission to visit the space station. The next mission, STS-118, is slated to launch in August.