The crew of STS-129 is getting into space shuttle Atlantis as the countdown continues on schedule toward a liftoff at 2:28 p.m. EST. Commander Charles O. Hobaugh is the first aboard, climbing into the left-hand seat on Atlantis’ flight deck.
Communications checks will be conducted throughout the strap-in process as the astronauts take their places.
There are no technical issues standing in the way of launch, and weather specialists continue to monitor the skies over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for signs of violations.