Shuttle Atlantis Awaiting Monday Lift Off With a Great Weather Outlook, NASA says on Sunday

A great weather outlook prevailed on Sunday, as NASA entered the final day of preparations for the launching of the shuttle Atlantis with six astronauts on a mission to equip the International Space Station with life extending spare parts.

The launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center is scheduled for Monday at 2:28 p.m., EST.

Forecasters placed the prospects for favorable weather at 90 percent, an outlook that has not waivered since the countdown for the 11-day mission began on Friday.

"After many many months of hard work, the shuttle Atlantis and her crew are nearlly ready to fly," NASA test director Steve Payne, one of those supervising countdown activities, told a Sunday status briefing. "We've had a very clean countdown to date and are currently on schedule with no problems to report."

Technicians were to spend much of Sunday inspecting the shuttle's external fuel tank and the condition of the insulating foam that jackets the towering structure.

The big tank will be loaded with propellants on Monday, just after 5 a.m., if the favorable weather outlook holds.

Mission commander Charlie Hobaugh, pilot Barry Wilmore and mission specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert Satcher should arrive at the launch pad ready to board Atlantis at 11 a.m.

Atlantis carries 15 tons of major spare parts for the space station, equipment too large for rocket launchers other than the space shuttle. The gear is intended to extend the life of the U. S.-led, 15 nation orbital outpost for as long as possible.

The shuttle is facing retirement by mid-2011. Meanwhile, Washington policy makers are assessing an extension of space station operations from 2016 to 2020.

The spare parts, including a pair of gyroscopes as well as pumps and coolant for the thermal control system, will be stored on the outside of the space station.
The shuttle astronauts plan three spacewalks to carry out a variety of external maintenance tasks.

Atlantis will return to Earth with American Nicole Stott. Stott is concluding a three-month stay aboard the station.