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Washington (AFP) Dec 4, 2007 NASA on Tuesday said conditions were right for this week's launch of the shuttle Atlantis, as it prepared for its mission to deliver a European-built space laboratory to the orbiting International Space Station. "Our preparations ... are going exceptionally well for the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis to the ISS," NASA official Steve Paine told reporters, adding that there were so far "no technical issues" to impede a smooth liftoff Thursday. NASA meteorologist Kathy Winter said that skies also were likely to be clear. "The weather looks very good for Thursday," Winter said, adding that there is just a 10 percent chance of foul weather preventing launch at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, set for December 6 at 2131 GMT. The 11-day mission calls for three spacewalks aimed at attaching the Columbus space lab to the ISS. With Columbus, Europe will be equipped to tackle scientific experiments with microgravity, considered essential to prepare for long-term space flight. Until now, only the United States and Russia have had their own laboratories, which form the heart of the ISS. The new European laboratory will allow astronauts to conduct hundreds of other experiments a year, notably in areas of biotechnology, medicine, materials and fluids. NASA officials said a fourth space walk could be added to inspect a faltering mechanism in one of three solar panels serving the station, which would extend Atlantis's stay in orbit. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Shuttle at NASA Watch NASA TV via Space.TV Space Shuttle News at Space-Travel.Com
All ready for shuttle Atlantis blastoff: NASA
Washington (AFP) Nov 30, 2007NASA said Friday it has given its thumbs-up for the December 6 launch of the shuttle Atlantis on its 11-day mission to deliver a European laboratory to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
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