Atlantis Roll-Out

[Chris Bergin]

Roll-over date not confirmed, but roll out to the pad is due on May 23. Literally hours after Discovery is 'due' to launch.

[Chris Bergin]

Mission: STS-121 -- 18th ISS Flight (ULF1) -- Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
Vehicle: Atlantis (OV-104)
Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1
Launch Date: Launch Planning Window: July 12-31, 2005
Launch Pad: 39B
Crew: Lindsey, Kelly, Sellers, Fossum, Nowak and Wilson
Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Technicians continue processing Atlantis in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 for its mission to the ISS. On Thursday, the STS-121 crew arrived at KSC for the Crew Equipment Interface Test. The test provides the crew an opportunity for a hands-on look at the orbiter and equipment they will be working with during the mission.

Orbiter system testing is nearly 60 percent complete. Technicians finished installing the engines' dome-mounted heat shields, the two semicircular sections of Thermal Protection System tile that fit around the engine interfaces. The interface verification test continues on the right-hand Orbiter Maneuvering System pod. Following the installation of the new landing-gear door thermal-barrier seal, the nose landing gear was retracted for seal compression checks.

Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) stacking for Atlantis' launch continues in the VAB high bay 3. The External Tank remains in the checkout cell for final testing. Following the completion of SRB stacking, the tank will be moved and attached to the SRBs on May 6.