SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C 31468
*New Launch Date Set *
As launch preparations resumed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B on Thursday, mission managers set Sept. 6 as the new date for the launch of Atlantis on Mission STS-115 to the International Space Station. Liftoff time would be 12:29 p.m. EDT.(1629 UTC)(1729 GMT)
No damage to facilities or flight hardware is reported at the Kennedy Space Center following the exit of Ernesto from Florida. The shuttle was surrounded by the rotating service structure as the peak winds were recorded at 44 miles per hour on Launch Pad 39B Wednesday.
Tuesday afternoon, NASA Mission Managers decided to return Atlantis to Launch Pad 39B since Tropical Storm Ernesto was predicted to skirt further west than first expected. Launch Director Mike Leinbach and the team made the call at 2:40 p.m., placing Atlantis back at the pad by about 8 p.m. Tuesday evening.
* The Launch Team * Meet the NASA team that is responsible for launching Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-115. + Launch Team http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-115/launch_team.html What does it take to carry out a space shuttle mission? Shuttle experts answer questions submitted to our question board. + Ask the Mission Team http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-115/STS115_askteam.html