Space Shuttle Atlantis Now Poised at Launch Pad for December 6th Mission

The Space Shuttle Atlantis' first part of the journey to space is already over-it trekked yesterday morning 3.4 miles from NASA's space shuttle assembly building to the launch pad, from which it will shoot into space along with seven astronauts on December 6th for a voyage to the International Space Station.

According to the NASA press release, Atlantis' journey began at 4:43 A.M. and, at the snail's pace of less than 1 mile per hour, took the shuttle until 11:51 A.M. to reach launch pad 39-A. The apparatus that handled this massive undertaking was a large machine called "the crawler," an enormous truck which resembles something akin to a big, land-bound barge bearing massive half-track wheels.

NASA reports that Atlantis' eleven-day mission includes delivering the European space Agency's Columbus Laboratory to the space station, dropping off a new member to reside on the space station, and returning to Earth another. NASA says the Columbus laboratory was already at the launch pad when Atlantis arrived. The component, to be installed at the space station upon delivery, will soon be placed in the shuttle's cargo bay and there endure a series of pre-flight tests and preparations.

Crew members for STS-122 (the official mission number) include Commander Steve Frick, Pilot Alan Poindexter, and Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, and Stanley Love, NASA astronauts serving as mission specialists. Also aboard are the European Space Agency's Hans Schlegel and Leopold Eyharts. Eyharts is going to remain on the space station after Atlantis returns home to replace Daniel Tani, who is returning to Earth along with Atlantis. Eyharts is scheduled to return home aboard STS 123, which is expected to launch on February 14th, 2008.