U.S. Shuttle Atlantis Enters Launch Countdown

U.S. shuttle Atlantis enters launch countdown

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) — The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis entered its official launch countdown at 7:00 p.m. EST (2400 GMT) on Monday, aiming at a Dec. 6 launch target, NASA TV reported.

The liftoff of Atlantis and its seven-astronaut crew is scheduled for 4:31 p.m. EST (2131 GMT) on Thursday. Atlantis has a10-minute window to launch in order to catch up with the International Space Station.

Weather forecasts predict an 80-percent chance of acceptable weather at launch time, NASA’s weather officer Kathy Winters reported.

“All of our systems are in good shape,” said NASA’s assistant launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.

The primary task of the mission, designated STS-122, is to deliver and install the European-built Columbus laboratory to the space station.

The seven-man crew of Atlantis arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at about 12:30 (1730 GMT) Monday afternoon to get ready for the upcoming launch.

The crew includes five NASA astronauts and two European Space Agency astronauts, and will be commanded by U.S. veteran shuttle pilot Steve Frick during a planned 11-day mission.

“It’s has been a long time building to this moment, so we’re just absolutely ready to go,” Frick said after they arrived at Kennedy.

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