Chance of Discovery arrival in Altus called ``slim''

ALTUS, Okla. (AP) _ There is only a slim chance that Space Shuttle Discovery will make a stop at Altus Air Force Base on its journey back to Florida, base officials said Tuesday. <br/><br/>Discovery and

Tuesday, August 9th 2005, 2:41 pm

By: News On 6

ALTUS, Okla. (AP) _ There is only a slim chance that Space Shuttle Discovery will make a stop at Altus Air Force Base on its journey back to Florida, base officials said Tuesday.

Discovery and its crew of seven landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California Tuesday because of thunderstorms at the shuttle's home base of Cape Canaveral, Fla.

It will be a week before Discovery leaves California, riding piggyback atop a modified Boeing 747 back to Cape Canaveral, NASA said.

It is to stop at various Air Force bases on the way to Cape Canaveral, including Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.

If weather conditions prevent it from landing in Dyess, it could come to Altus Air Force Base in southwest Oklahoma, said Altus-based Air Force Master Sgt. Eugene Bird.

Shuttles have been transported through Altus six times previously.