This article is more than 1 year old
Dodgy weather threatens Atlantis launch
30% chance Friday will see last ever shuttle liftoff
The weather forecast is not looking too bright for the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on Friday, with NASA predicting just a 30 per cent chance the venerable vehicle will get off the ground.
The agency reports: "The concern is for showers and thunderstorms, flight through precipitation, and cumulus clouds."
The crew of Atlantis – commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim – were up bright and early this morning to continue preparations for their STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.
The trip, slated to kick off at 15:26 GMT, marks the end of the space shuttle programme, with Atlantis ultimately destined for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. ®
Biting the hand that feeds IT
