NASA resolved problems of the lines connecting external fuel tank to Atlantis on Wednesday. Now the first space shuttle is getting ready for the launch on Friday at 6:38 p.m. CDT. Forecasters predicted 70 percent probability of good weather.
Engineers were concerned with the lines that connect Atlantis and external fuel tank, because they were not in the condition of newly manufactured ones. They could cause hydrogen fuel leak.
A similar problem was detected with the lines of space shuttle Endeavour, which were replaced for the August launch. The engineers say that the problems are similar, but are not the same. The tank connected to Endeavour was previously attached to Atlantis in 2003 and disconnected after Columbia disaster.
"We don't have a reason to believe we have similar circumstances," said LeRoy Cain, shuttle launch integration manager. So the engineers now have solved the problem and don't see any trouble in shuttle launch.
One more problem with the shuttle launch is the walkout of 569 workers at the Kennedy Space Center, who did not agree with the contract terms offered by United Space Alliance. Some of the walkout workers have a direct role in the preparation of the shuttle, but NASA officials announced they have other workers who can fulfill the necessary positions, so that the shuttle launch will not be delayed.
Seven astronauts and Atlantis will spend 11 days at space. They will get two energy-producing solar panels to international space station and will take the turn of orbiting post. By Ruzan Harutyunyan for HULIQ
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