Atlantis Scheduled To Launch

Working On The ISS
Forgotten in the myriad problems of the Space Shuttle has been the International Space Station. They're working to rectify that.

NASA officials say they will hold two briefings next week concerning the current and next mission to the International Space Station.

Officials said the briefings will focus on the station`s ongoing Expedition 13 mission and the upcoming Expedition 14 mission, which is scheduled to be launched next month.

The briefings -- originating at NASA`s Johnson Space Center in Houston -- will be broadcast live on NASA TV, available at the space agency`s Web site. Questions from news media representatives will be taken at various NASA locations across the nation.

Participants of the Expedition 14 preflight briefing at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday will be Kirk Shireman, deputy International Space Station program manager; Melissa Owens, Expedition 14 increment manager, and Ginger Kerrick, Expedition 14 lead flight director.

Scheduled to take part in the Expedition 13 recap briefing at 3 p.m. EDT Tuesday are Merri Sanchez, Expedition 13 increment manager; Cathy Koerner, Expedition 13 lead flight director; Julie Robinson, deputy International Space Station program scientist, and Dr. Stevan Gilmore, Expedition 13 flight surgeon.

Well, the next Atlantis flight will signal going back to business.

NASA managers on Wednesday unanimously picked Aug. 27 for the first attempt to launch the space shuttle Atlantis on a mission to resume construction of the international space station — but two precariously attached bolts securing a crucial antenna could delay those plans.

Engineers suspect that two of the bolts are too short on the KU-band antenna, which transmits images and other essential data between the space shuttle and Mission Control. They want to make sure the bolts are secure enough so that the antenna doesn't fly off while in the payload bay during a launch, which could cause catastrophic damage.

“We're not going to fly if we think there's a possibility the antenna will come off,” said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin.

Atlantis has flown with those bolts without trouble since they were first installed two decades ago. The problem was discovered last week, after Atlantis was rolled to the launch pad, when a review of paperwork on bolts on NASA's three space shuttles was ordered because a related problem was found in Discovery.

Back to hauling materials for the space truck.