NASA/Kim Shiflett
At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh and Pilot Barry E. Wilmore shoot touch-and-go landings in a Shuttle training aircraft.
NASA repeated this morning launch countdown operations are on schedule with no issues to report.
STS-129, space shuttle Atlantis, is cleared for launch at 2:28 p.m. ET tomorrow.
An Air Force Atlas rocket was scrubbed for launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Saturday.
"Atlantis is ready to go," Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager said Friday.
Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director said, "…We're right on the money. We're not tracking any issues with the vehicle, flight elements or ground systems. I'm happy to report we're ready to go."
Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters reported that the forecast continues to be favorable for launch day with only a 10-percent chance that weather will be a concern for liftoff and the fueling of Atlantis' external tank.
Weather also is looking good for the transatlantic abort, or TAL, sites where the shuttle could land in the unlikely event of an emergency. The only issue Winters mentioned was the possibility of some high seas where the solid rocket booster recovery ships are stationed.
Today at about 5:30 p.m., the Rotating Service Structure that protects the shuttle from inclement weather will be rolled away. Loading of propellants into the external tank is scheduled to begin at around 5 a.m. on Monday.
Useful websites: www.nasa.gov
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