CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Crews have finished fueling space shuttle Atlantis for another attempt at launch.
Early this morning, shuttle managers decided to make another launch attempt today despite the likelihood of high winds preventing Atlantis from lifting off on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Workers at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) began the three-hour process to fill Atlantis external tank with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen at about 6:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (12:30 GMT) and concluded at 9:45 a.m. EDT (15:45 GMT).
Crosswinds at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) cancelled Mondays launch. Shuttle flight rules require cross winds at the SLF to be no greater than 17 mph (27 kilometers per hour) for an orbiter to make a safe landing. In the event of an emergency after launch, one option is for the shuttle to land on the SLFs 15,000-foot runway (4.5 kilometers).
Winds gusted above 23 mph (37 kilometers per hour) during the launch attempt Monday. Forecasters are calling for an 80 percent chance weather will prevent todays launch, though the forecast improves to 10 percent Wednesday.
Should the launch be scrubbed today, the space agency has another chance Wednesday. After that, the next available launch date is May 11, though May 3 remains an option if a NASA-managed Atlas launch can be postponed.
Due to orbital mechanics, if Atlantis launches today it will rendezvous with the ISS on Friday -- the fourth day of the mission. If the shuttle launched Monday or Wednesday, it would reach the station on the third day of the mission and give the astronauts more time to accomplish their tasks.
Atlantis and its seven-person crew is set for a 3:52 p.m. EDT (19:52 GMT) launch on an 11-day mission to rendezvous and repair the yet unoccupied International Space Station. Landing is now scheduled for May 6 at 11:53 a.m. EDT (15:53 GMT).
Workers will fill the orbiters 153-foot-tall (46.9 meters) external tank with 143,000 gallons (542,000 liters) of super cold liquid oxygen and 385,000 gallons (1.458 million liters) of liquid hydrogen.
When the shuttles three main engines fire up shortly before liftoff, the tank feeds the thirsty engines with about 47,000 gallons (178,000 liters) of the hydrogen fuel and 17,000 gallons (64,000 liters) of the liquid oxygen oxidizer every minute.
About eight minutes into the flight, the external tank separates from the orbiter and falls back into the atmosphere to burn up.
The seven-person crew will spend the time before launch making final checks, attending a weather briefing and putting on their bright orange launch and entry suits before departing for Launch Pad 39A about lunchtime.
While in orbit, the crew, which includes a cosmonaut, will deliver supplies and make repairs to the space station in preparation for the Russian-built service modules arrival this summer.
This will be the 98th flight of a space shuttle and the 21st flight for Atlantis.
advertisement
