The shuttle Atlantis is preparing for a Monday launch in order to give a second life to the aging International Space Station (ISS). The ISS, a multinational effort to construct an orbiting research facility, is at this point over a decade old, but will not be completed until at least 2011. Monday’s launch will be carrying a payload of spare parts, much needed for the aging space station.
The shuttle Atlantis is itself a part of an aging NASA fleet, which is due for mandatory retirement in 2010. Atlantis is the fourth oldest shuttle in the shuttle program, which started launching reusable spaceships in the 1980s. This mission to the ISS, as well as a planned mission again to the ISS scheduled for next May, will be the final voyages for the Atlantis.
In addition to its payload of spare parts, the Atlantis will also be carrying six astronauts to the ISS. On its return voyage, however, it will actually be carrying a seventh astronaut as well, who has been living in the research facility since March of this year.
While the Atlantis is set to take-off on Monday afternoon, the launch could be delayed if a different launch scheduled for Saturday is delayed, as NASA requires at least two days in between launches.
