21.   After spending time in a simulator Saturday, astronaut James Wetherbee called the crew and said he was recommending a two-man approach to mission managers.

22.   But forecasts called for near perfect conditions Monday, and mission managers were upbeat.

23.   Greg Mehall, the THEMIS mission manager at Arizona State, said the instrument will snap its next thermal image then.

24.   NASA spokesman Ed Harrison sasid mission managers would decide Wednesday afternoon whether to proceed with the countdown.

25.   The final decision by mission managers came late in the afternoon as the seven astronauts slept.

26.   The landing gear issue arose during a high-level meeting of mission managers on Tuesday afternoon.

27.   The mapping also will help other mission managers determine where to land.

28.   The seven astronauts stuck to their schedule and slept as mission managers met to discuss the matter.

29.   Then low clouds and storms interfered, and then mission managers had to wait for an Air Force Titan rocket to blast off Monday.

30.   With stormy weather forecast for early next week anyway, mission managers decided to go ahead and replace the valve.