IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Atlantis crew set for launch rehearsals

The crew of space shuttle Atlantis arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for four days of rehearsals for their end-of-the-month launch on a space station construction mission.
DAN BURBANK, STEVE MACLEAN,JOE TANNER,HEIDEMARIE STEFANYSHYN-PIPER,BRENT JETT,CHRIS FERGUSON
The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Monday to rehearse launch procedures. From left are missions specialist Dan Burbank, Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean, NASA mission specialists Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, commander Brent Jett and pilot Chris Ferguson.John Raoux / AP
/ Source: The Associated Press

The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Monday for four days of rehearsals for their end-of-the-month launch on a mission to resume construction of the international space station.

The six crew members flew in three training jets from Houston through clear skies. The first opportunity to launch the shuttle is Aug. 27 in the afternoon, a time of the day when thunderstorms are common in Florida.

"It's a beautiful day. I was kind of hoping we ought to save some of these days for the end of the month because I think we're going to need them," said Atlantis commander Brent Jett.

The dress rehearsals include a practice launch countdown, an exercise to practice escaping from the launch pad and instruction on using emergency equipment.

Top NASA managers planned to meet at the space center next week to decide whether to give the launch final approval.

During the 11-day mission, astronauts will resume building the space station for the first time in three and a half years. Construction was stopped after the Columbia disaster in 2003 killed seven astronauts and grounded the shuttle fleet for more than two years.

Since then, NASA has conducted two test flights to determine if engineers had fixed the problem of foam flying off the shuttle's external tank, which doomed Columbia. The most recent flight was last month's successful mission aboard Discovery. During that flight, the shuttle delivered a third crew member to the space station.