After delay, Endeavour ready for launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- NASA has begun fueling space shuttle Endeavour after delaying its scheduled launch for a day because lightning struck 11 times near the pad.

Endeavour had been scheduled for liftoff Saturday night, but a severe lightning storm at the pad Friday raised concerns that some critical systems might have been damaged.

However, the weather was looking better Sunday. NASA says there is only a 30% chance that weather will delay Sunday's 7:13 p.m. launch.

NASA spokesman Allard Beutel says overnight checks found no lightning problems that would stall the launch.

The shuttle and its crew are set to deliver the third and final piece of Japan's $1 billion space station lab, named Kibo, which is Japanese for hope. The first two sections flew up last year.

NASA has until Tuesday or possibly Wednesday to send up Endeavour before making way for the launch of an unmanned Russian supply ship. If that happened, the shuttle flight would be off until late July.