Space shuttle Atlantis, carrying Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and six others, will return one day later due to bad weather conditions.

Thunderstorms within 55 kilometres and clouds within 8,000 feet of the landing strip at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) forced mission managers to skip both the landing opportunities.

Atlantis shuttle, which was to return to earth after a 13-day mission, skipped two landing attempts because of thick clouds and thunderstorms at and around the Kennedy Space Centre.

If the first opportunity for de-orbit Atlantis on Friday fails, the second attempt for de-orbit can be made on Saturday.

If Florida weather does not cooperate, two opportunities are available at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

41-year-old Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams aboard Atlantis on last Saturday became the first woman to have uninterrupted space flight, surpassing the previous record of 188 days and four hours.