Wednesday is “L-2” at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, meaning there are only two days remaining until the scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-132 mission. Countdown clocks across the launch complex were activated at 4 p.m. Tuesday and the countdown continues on schedule for liftoff Friday at 2:20 p.m. EDT.
After today’s mission management team meeting, NASA managers will hold a news conference no earlier than 11 a.m. Participants are Mike Moses, chair of the prelaunch mission management team, Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director, and Todd McNamara, STS-132 weather officer. Watch the event live on NASA TV at www.nasa.gov/ntv.
Atlantis’ six astronauts are relaxing today while technicians at Launch Pad 39A load the orbiter’s power reactant and storage distribution system, which supplies super-cold propellants to the vehicle’s three fuel cells and life-support system during flight.