Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis stands on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

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NASA sets new launch date for shuttle Atlantis

At Thursday evening's press conference, NASA mission managers announced that the launch of space shuttle Atlantis would be delayed for 48 hours.

Lift-off of mission STS-122 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center is now scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 8 at 3:43 p.m. EST according to LeRoy Cain, Mission Management Team chairman.

Weather officer Captain Chris Lovett said the weather conditions are slightly less favorable for Saturday's launch with a 40 percent chance of weather prohibiting launch.

On Thursday morning, two of the four engine cutoff, or ECO, sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank failed a routine prelaunch check.

Following the launch postponement, the tank's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen were drained. While the tank was being
emptied, engineers monitored and collected data on the liquid hydrogen sensors that failed. During that process, another sensor gave a false reading, indicating that the tank was "wet," when it was dry. All ECO sensors are now indicating dry as they should be.

During Atlantis' 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the shuttle and station crews will work with ground teams to install and activate the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory. The new lab will expand the station's scientific research capabilities.

ARISS antennas bound for space