HOUSTON, Texas - NASA told astronauts on board the space shuttle Discovery to prepare to land in California on Friday instead of at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, because of bad weather.

The switch came after rains and winds thwarted two landing opportunities Friday in Florida, and forecasters said the conditions were unlikely to ease before Saturday.

Conditions at Edwards Air Force base in Florida were expected to grow windy over the weekend, making a California landing late Friday the best course, NASA shuttle communicator Eric Boe told the shuttle astronauts.

"We do appreciate everyone that worked the weather so hard in Florida," Discovery commander Rick Sturckow responded. "It doesn't look like it's going to work there for the day."

Discovery was now looking to land at 0053 GMT and 0228 GMT at Edwards.

- AFP /ls