Atlantis’ Launch Date Determined This Week

The official launch date for space shuttle Atlantis will be set this Thursday at the agency-level Flight Readiness Review, which will be held at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA managers will hold a news conference to confirm the date following the wrap-up of the review. The purpose of the day-long meeting is to verify that the shuttle and payload are ready to go for the STS-125 mission to service NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The targeted launch date is May 11, with a liftoff time of 2:01 p.m. EDT.

At Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39A, technicians are preparing Atlantis for launch, closing out the shuttle’s aft compartment and conducting payload interface verification. Tanker deliveries of liquid oxygen used to help power the shuttle’s ascent to space continue to arrive at the pad.

At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the STS-125 astronauts today will continue their training by conducting a launch simulation and review of spacewalk procedures.