Poor Weather Again Dims Chances for Space Shuttle Liftoff

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — The weather forecast was bleak for NASA’s third attempt in five days to launch space shuttle Atlantis on a flight to link up with the Russian space station Mir and bring home an American astronaut.

Thunderstorms reduced the chances of good weather for today’s 12:32 p.m. PDT liftoff to 30%, NASA weather officer Ed Priselac said Monday. Thunderstorms could be a problem until July 3 or 4, he said.

Atlantis was drenched during launch attempts on Friday and Saturday, so technicians had to dry about 15 shuttle thrusters.

NASA has only seven to 10 minutes each day to send Atlantis on the most fuel-efficient route toward Mir.

If Atlantis isn’t up by August, NASA’s Norman Thagard and his two Russian cosmonaut companions will have to return to Earth later that month in a Russian Soyuz capsule. They have been on the space station since mid-March.

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U.S.-Russian SPACE DANCE

The shuttle’s next mission--scheduled to begin today, weather permitting--will feature the historic docking of the U.S. shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station. The meeting of two spacecraft hurtling through space at 17,500 m.p.h. will be a lot like two trapeze artists who meet in midair. Using lights, cameras, laptop simulators and laser radar, precision piloting should bring the shuttle to within 3 inches of its target. Then the 12 latches of the Russian-built, U.S.-tuned docking mechanism are to grab onto the Kristall module on Mir. Once leaks are sealed, the two craft can be pressurized, and the astronauts and cosmonauts can move freely between the two vehicles.

STRAIGHT-UP SHOT

Atlantis will catch up to Mir while slowly rising toward it in a straight line path from the center of Earth. This so-called R-bar approach (for radius) keeps the need for braking and firing rocket exhausts at the delicate Mir solar panels to a minimum. The shuttle will have a two-minute window for the docking, and must align itself to within two degrees. Any residual wobbling between the two craft will be damped out by enormous, jalopy-like springs.

CREW INFORMATION:

Atlantis will deliver two cosmonauts to Mir. Two cosmonauts and an astronaut will transfer to the shuttle and return to Earth.

Shuttle Atlantis:

5 astronauts

2 cosmonauts

Russian Mir space station:

2 cosmonauts

1 astronaut

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Docking Hooks

12 hooks from Atlantis will reach out and grab 12 hooks on the Mir. The titanium hooks can each endure 5.5 tons of force.