Atlantis and a crew of five astronauts remain scheduled for launch Feb. 6 on a mission to deliver the $1.4 billion U.S. Destiny lab to the international outpost. A scheduled Jan. 19 launch was delayed so technicians could perform extra tests and X-ray inspections on critical rocket booster-separation cables, and that work was finished early Monday.

"The tests were completed successfully, and the X-ray analysis conducted on the same cables showed no physical damages to the cables," said Kennedy Space Center (KSC) spokesman Joel Wells.

A standard test to verify electrical and mechanical connections between Atlantis and its mobile launcher platform, external tank and twin solid-fuel rocket boosters now is scheduled for Tuesday. That work should led to a move back to launch pad 39A on Thursday.

Atlantis was hauled from pad 39A back into KSCs 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building last Friday so that technicians could examine cabling associated with the shuttles crucial solid rocket booster-separation system.

Four inventory spares had failed recent tests, raising the possibility that the Atlantis cables might not route crucial computer commands to small explosive devices used to separate the shuttles two boosters from its 15-story external tank in flight.

The inventory inspections were ordered after a serious glitch cropped up during the Nov. 30 launch of shuttle Endeavour on a space station construction mission.

On that flight, a pyrotechnic cartridge designed to separate the shuttles left-hand solid rocket booster from its 15-story external tank failed to fire. A backup charge worked normally and the booster separated cleanly.

Engineers subsequently traced the problem to a damaged separation system cable that showed clear signs of wear and tear, prompting the inventory inspections.

With the extra tests on Atlantis cables done, shuttle program managers this week will be reviewing work schedules and launch options for NASAs 102nd shuttle flight.

Recent analyses have shown that a Feb. 6 launch might require a three-day rather than a two-day trip to the station, compressing an already busy schedule for the lab delivery mission.

The target date for the launch, as a result, might slip a day to ensure an earlier rendezvous and docking at the station.

A firm decision on a target launch date is expected later this week.