-- NASA has announced repairs are nearly complete on the thermal tiles of the shuttle Atlantis.

By Wednesday, the agency could set a new launch date for El Paso's first astronaut, Danny Olivas.

Olivas is set to go up in space when the shuttle launches. Its March launch was delayed when a freak hail storm damaged the external fuel tank and some of the shuttle's heat shields.

NASA said repairs are well under way.

Shuttle managers are expected to meet this week and could announce a new launch date as early as Wednesday.

Earlier, they believed a rescheduled launch was not likely until late April.

Danny e-mailed KFOX anchor Elizabeth O'Hara on Monday to express that he appreciates everyone who is logging onto his guestbook and wishing him well.