Space shuttle Atlantis ready for launch

CAPE CANAVERAL - The six-member crew of space shuttle Atlantis boarded the craft Monday in preparation for blast-off.

The all-American crew wearing orange jumpsuits were strapped to their seats by the ground crew after leaving their quarters to cheers and applause from the gathered crowd.

Within hours, at 2.28 p.m. (1928 GMT) Monday, Atlantis was set to lift off from the Kennedy Space Centre on a supply mission to the orbiting International Space Station.

There was a 70 percent chance of favourable weather conditions due to concerns about cloud cover, Air Force forecasters at the Kennedy Space Centre said.

As the sun set Sunday over the central Florida coast, NASA slowly rolled back the massive support structure to fully expose the gleaming white shuttle and its massive fuel tanks, illuminated by floodlights. A nearby banner read “Go Atlantis!”

Thousands of visitors were expected for the launch along with a group of NASA-selected users of the micro-blogging website Twitter, who were to give their impressions of the launch online in real time.

Launch director Steve Payne said there were no problems to report with the spacecraft.

The mission is part of the US space agency’s efforts to stock up the ISS reserves ahead of plans to end the shuttle programme by the end of next year. After this week’s mission there are just five more flights scheduled.

Atlantis’ six-member crew will deliver two platforms with 12,360 kg of spare parts, which will be installed on the outside of the station.

As the first of several flights devoted largely to delivering spare parts, this mission is carrying the highest-priority items.

The so-called Express Logistics Carriers contain a variety of crucial parts, such as: gyroscopes that help keep the ISS at the proper altitude in space; an extra hand for the station’s robotic arm; a gas tank for providing oxygen to the airlock during spacewalks; and parts for the station’s cooling system.

Astronauts will also bring along assorted colourful personal items for the ride, including a scarf worn by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. The scarf has a personal connection for astronaut Randolph Bresnick, whose father served as a photographer to Earhart before her plane was lost over the Pacific during an intended round-the-world flight in 1937.