NASA readies space shuttle Atlantis for launch

The US space agency was readying for the launch Monday of the space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of seven astronauts to deliver equipment that will maintain the nearly completed International Space Station.Liftoff is set for 2:28 pm (1928 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida, NASA said Saturday."Atlantis is ready to go, in really great shape," said shuttle launch manager Mike Moses at a press conference broadcast on NASA television.

The US space agency was readying for the launch Monday of the space shuttle Atlantis and its crew of seven astronauts to deliver equipment that will maintain the nearly completed International Space Station.Liftoff is set for 2:28 pm (1928 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida, NASA said Saturday."Atlantis is ready to go, in really great shape," said shuttle launch manager Mike Moses at a press conference broadcast on NASA television.

The space shuttle Atlantis landed back on Earth with its crew of seven astronauts Friday to cap an 11-day mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis commander Charlie Hobaugh and pilot Barry Wilmore touched down as scheduled at 9:44 am (1444 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida amid clear blue skies.During their successful voyage, the Atlantis crew delivered nearly 30,000 pounds (13,608 kilograms) of spare parts to the orbiting space station, including a pair of gyroscopes, thermal control system components and robot arm gear.

The US space agency said Friday it is targeting July 8 for the last-ever launch of the American shuttle program, with an Atlantis mission to the International Space Station."NASA's final space shuttle flight is targeted to launch July 8 at about 11:40 am (1540 GMT) from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida," a statement said."Four veteran astronauts will fly aboard shuttle Atlantis to deliver supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station."

NASA gave the green light Wednesday for the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, officially setting the mission clock on its journey to the International Space Station for May 14 at 2:20 pm (1820 GMT).The decision from top managers at the US space agency came at the end of a flight readiness review at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, NASA said in a statement.Weather permitting, the mission will launch the shuttle on a 12-day trip to the ISS to deliver an integrated cargo carrier and a Russian-built mini research module.

The shuttle Atlantis has linked up with the International Space Station (ISS) for the final rendezvous of its 25-year career, ahead of a first space walk set for Monday.NASA said Atlantis and its crew of six astronauts successfully docked with the orbiting space lab at 1428 GMT Sunday about 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the South Pacific.Its arrival was not without drama as a piece of debris threatened to force Mission Control to order the space station to perform an emergency maneuver to avoid a collision.

Final preparations were underway Friday to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on the last mission of its 25-year career, taking astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).The 32nd and final voyage for Atlantis, first launched in 1985, will take six astronauts to the orbiting space research facility, delivering an integrated cargo carrier and a Russian-built mini research module.Lift-off is scheduled for 2:20 pm (1820 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral in Florida, weather permitting.

Final preparations were underway Friday to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on the last mission of its 25-year career, taking astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).The 32nd and final voyage for Atlantis, first launched in 1985, will take six astronauts to the orbiting space research facility, delivering an integrated cargo carrier and a Russian-built mini research module.Lift-off is scheduled for 2:20 pm (1820 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral in Florida, weather permitting.