The launch of the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour has been delayed by 24 hours due to cloudy weather over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA officials said on Sunday.

The delay was announced just nine minutes before the launch. The shuttle was scheduled to lift off at 4:39 a.m. EST (09:39 GMT) on Sunday with an 80% chance of favorable weather for launch.

The next launch attempt has been scheduled for 4:14 a.m. EST (09:14 GMT) on Monday, NASA said.

The shuttle is expected to deliver to the International Space Station (ISS) a third connecting module, the Italian-built Tranquility node and the seven-windowed cupola, which will be used as a control room for robotics.

Commander George Zamka will lead the six-astronaut crew on the 32nd shuttle mission to the ISS and the first shuttle flight in 2010.

The current mission will feature three spacewalks.

The shuttle Endeavour is expected to make its final flight to the ISS in July as the U.S. shuttle fleet is retired this year.

Russian, European and Japanese space freighters will keep the ISS supplied until NASA deploys its new capsule-style Orion spacecraft.

CAPE CANAVERAL, February 7 (RIA Novosti)