Sunday, November 15, 2009

NASA ready for Atlantis launch


All systems are go for the launch of US space shuttle Atlantis, for a construction and delivery mission to the International Space Station. The blast off is scheduled for 1 am (IST) on Tuesday; NASA's countdown is going smoothly and even the weather is looking exceptionally good for the launch. Forecasters put the odds of acceptable weather at 90 percent.NASA test director Steve Payne said Sunday morning that even though everything seems to be lining up perfectly, he and his team are "always waiting for the shoe to drop" and always vigilant.Atlantis will carry tons of spare parts for the International Space Station. The crew of six will return to Earth with a seventh astronaut, Nicole Stott, who's been living at the space station for nearly three months.The launch will also see Kennedy Space Center's first 'tweetup' - about 100 space fans who have gathered to report the event on Twitter.

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