Atlantis Set For Wednesday Launch

NASA is extremely optimistic that a Wednesday afternoon launch of the shuttle Atlantis will go as planned. As of right now there is only a 20% chance of a weather-related cancellation.

Unlike last week's planned launch attempts, the window Wednesday opens before Florida's afternoon summer thunderstorms normally blow through, and a tropical depression brewing in the Atlantic wasn't expected to interfere.

If Atlantis doesn't lift off on Wednesday, NASA will try again Thursday and possibly Friday.

"If you go back a week, it looked we were not going to be able to have a launch attempt in September," said Robbie Ashley, the mission's payload manager. "So we're very thankful to the shuttle folks for carving out these three days of launch attempts and giving us another shot."

Atlantis originally was scheduled to launch Aug. 27 on a mission to resume construction of the international space station, but that launch was delayed after a lightning strike at the launch pad.

The lightning didn't hit the spacecraft, but by the time the shuttle was cleared for launch, Tropical Storm Ernesto was approaching Florida.

NASA managers on Tuesday ordered the shuttle returned to its protective assembly building, then reversed course midway through the 10-hour journey when Ernesto's forecast was downgraded.

By sending the shuttle back to its launch pad immediately, NASA gained enough time to prepare for a launch this week.

As I mentioned at the time, what looked to the casual observer like a bit of confusion for the folks at NASA was actually a darned smart move. By reversing the shuttle when they did, they opened this launch window.