Houston: A sick German astronaut has delayed by 24 hours a spacewalk that had been set for today to attach the European-made Columbus laboratory to the orbiting International Space Station, a NASA spokesman said.

Just after the shuttle Atlantis docked with the ISS, mission chief John Shannon told reporters German astronaut Hans Schlagel, one of the Atlantis crew of seven, was unwell, without giving details. "We will delay the EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity, or spacewalk) by one day and Hans Schlegel will be excused," he said.

"It's a private medical matter," Shannon added. "I won't say more ... It's not life threatening." He said the 11-day mission of the shuttle Atlantis would also be extended by one day, with return to Earth set for February 19. Schlagel will be replaced by US astronaut Stanley Love on the spacewalk which has been delayed until tomorrow, Shannon said.

His illness, the spokesman said, is "not going to impact any of the objectives of the mission," adding that Schlagel will still take part in the second spacewalk of the mission -- now rescheduled for Wednesday -- with US astronaut Rex Walheim. A European Space Agency official who asked not to be identified said Schlagel's illness was "nothing serious." Images of Atlantis astronauts boarding the ISS showed a seemingly normal Schagel moving a little slower than his colleagues.

Source : PTI