NASA Clears Space Shuttle Atlantis For Last Launch, Weather May Not Cooperate

NASA officials on Wednesday cleared the space shuttle Atlantis for it’s final voyage to the International Space Station. The flight is meant to take place on Friday, July 8 but only if weather plays nice with a stormy forecast on the horizon.

Officials for the space agency unanimously voted for the launch which will end the agency’s 30-year space plane program.

According to current weather reports the shuttle is suppose to launch on a day that includes a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms and rain showers, both of which would delay the launch.

If the weather plays nice the shuttle will take off at 11:26 a.m. EDT (1526 GMT) on Friday.

Officials are most notably worried about lightning, clouds and rain in the shuttle’s patch. NASA scientists are also worried about storms by a nearby landing strip which could become necessary in the event of an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.

If the shuttle’s departure is a success it will be manned by a rather small crew of just four astronauts who will take part in a 12-day mission aboard the International Space Station in which they will make their final delivery to the space lab.

This final Atlantis mission also marks the 135th shuttle launch for 30-year-old program.

[Photo: collectSPACE.com/Robert Z. Pearlman]