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Launch Day Excitement Builds, Weather Still Threatens  July 8, 2011 | WMFE - The four crew members of Space Shuttle Atlantis are on board their spacecraft, amid hopes that the weather will allow an on-time launch for NASA's final shuttle mission. The agency says there's still a 70% chance the final shuttle mission will have to be called off because of clouds and storms in the area. [Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls] Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach decided to continue with the countdown after a briefing from Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters earlier this morning. NASA’s launch blog quoted Leinbach as saying, “We have a shot at this one today.” Hundreds of thousands are expected in the area to watch the liftoff, and traffic will be a consideration for NASA if today’s launch is called off. Shuttle workers are expected to sit in long traffic jams going home, so the agency would likely wait until Sunday to try again, to give those workers time to rest. |
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