Atlantis' Hatch is Closed and Latched

Atlantis' Hatch is Closed and Latched


Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:52:17 -0600

At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, space shuttle Atlantis' crew access hatch has been closed and locked for flight.

All six STS-129 astronauts are safely strapped into their seats and are awaiting liftoff at 2:28 p.m. EST.

The Closeout Crew will pressurize the crew cabin, check for leaks and then finish up remaining work inside the pad's White Room before leaving the area.

The weather forecast remains "go" at the launch site and the Transoceanic Abort Landing, or TAL, sites where the shuttle could land in the unlikely event of an emergency.

NASA's recovery ships, Liberty Star and Freedom Star are stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, ready to gather up the solid rocket boosters after they fall into the sea.