November 16, 2009 looks good for next shuttle launch

By William Atkins
Saturday, 14 November 2009 18:11

Science - Space

NASA is hoping for clear sailing on Monday as its space shuttle Atlantis crew prepares to launch for its mission delivering and installing spare parts to the International Space Station. The weather forecast predicts a 90% chance for acceptable launch conditions.


The launch of STS-129 by the U.S. space agency (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is scheduled for 2:28 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Watch preparations for the launch beginning at 5:00 a.m. EST when fueling of the space shuttle begins. Launch coverage begins at 9:30 a.m. EST. This coverage will be shown at NASA TV on the Web.

The mission will deliver two large ExPRESS Logistics Carriers that contain a couple of spare gyroscopes, two pump modules, two nitrogen tank assemblies, one ammonia tank assembly, a spare latching end effector (for the station’s robotic arm), a spare trailing umbilical system (for the Mobile Transporter), and a high-pressure gas tank.

The eleven-day mission for the six astronauts has three spacewalks scheduled.

At the completion of STS-129, the 31st mission to the ISS and the 129th overall space shuttle mission, only five space shuttle missions are left on the schedule.

The crewmembers of STS-129 include commander Charles O. Hobaugh (on his third spaceflight), pilot Barry E. Wilmore (first), and mission specialists Leland D. Melvin (second), Randolph Bresnik (first), Michael Foreman (second), and Robert Satcher (first).

The return home of the STS-129 flight will also include Nicole Stott, who have been onboard the Space Station as part of its ISS Expedition 21 crew.

Astronauts Foreman and Satcher will perform the first spacewalk of the mission (EVA1), while Bresnik and Foreman will perform the second one (EVA2) and Satcher and Bresnik will perform the third extravehicular activity (EVA3).

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