14 DAY TRIAL // The space shuttle Atlantis has finally been cleared for its November 16 flight to the International Space Station (ISS), officials at the American space agency announce. They say that all preliminary issues associated with the new launch have been taken care of, and that problems that may appear in the future will be only minor glitches. The take-off is being targeted for 2:28 pm EST (1928 GMT), from the Launch Pad 39A facility, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
According to a press release on NASA's official website, the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for flight. The announcement was made on Thursday, shortly after the conclusion of a flight readiness review, held at the KSC. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers discussed all aspects of the shuttle launch, and determined that everything is “green for launch” at this point. The only thing standing in the way of Atlantis launching on time is the departure of an Atlas V delivery system.
The flight is scheduled for November 14, from a launch facility at the nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. If that rocket fails to lift-off at its targeted date, and moves the launch time to November 15, then Atlantis could only launch on November 17, at 2:02 pm EST (1902 GMT) at the earliest. The delay will be caused by the fact that the Eastern Range, which tracks the launches, needs at least 24 to 48 hours to reboot and recalibrate its system for monitoring.
“Commander Charlie Hobaugh and his crew of five astronauts are scheduled to arrive at [the KSC] at approximately 5 pm [EST] on Thursday, November 12, for final launch preparations. Joining Hobaugh on STS-129 will be pilot Barry Wilmore and mission specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Bobby Satcher. Nicole Stott, an astronaut who currently resides on the station, will return home with the Atlantis crew after living in space for more than two months. Her return on the shuttle is slated to be the final time [the spacecraft] is used to rotate space station crew members,” the release says.
There are severe difficulties facing Atlantis in its quest for launch, NASA officials recently said. The increased space traffic, incoming meteor showers, and a very narrow launch window may force mission planners to either delay the launch, or move it to next year altogether. Between November 21 and December 5, the ISS will receive sunlight from an angle that will not allow it to provide sufficient electricity to support a docked shuttle. Additionally, the station would be unable to dissipate the heat that such a maneuver would generate. When Atlantis lifts, it will only carry six astronauts, as opposed to the usual seven.