Shuttle Atlantis Crew Arrive At KSC For Countdown Test
CAPE CANAVERAL (CBS4) – The astronauts who are scheduled to fly the final space shuttle mission on board the Atlantis arrived at the Kennedy Space Center late Monday afternoon.
Mission commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim arrive around 5:45 p.m. While at Cape Canaveral, the four veteran astronauts will take part in some final pre-launch training including a full launch dress rehearsal on Thursday.
The Atlantis is scheduled to launch on July 8th at 11:26 a.m. The shuttle will be packed with supplies for the International Space Station, so that the orbiting outpost is well stocked until a private cargo carrier arrives. NASA officials expect the first supply run by a U.S. company could take place by year's end.
Also on Monday, technicians will begin replacing a 90-pound main fuel valve on one of the three shuttle main engines suspected of leaking during a tanking test last week. In addition, high-tech X-ray scans will continue on support braces lining the mid-section of the shuttle's external tank to make sure there are no cracks.
This will be the 135th and final mission of the shuttle program. NASA is under presidential direction to shift from orbital flights to expeditions beyond.
