Spaceflight Now + Premium video content for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers. Discovery goes to pad As night fell over Kennedy Space Center on May 19, space shuttle Discovery reached launch pad 39B to complete the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Discovery will be traveling much faster in a few weeks when it blasts off to the International Space Station.  Full coverage Discovery moves to VAB Perched atop a trailer-like transporter, space shuttle Discovery was moved May 12 from its hangar to the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters in preparation for the STS-121 mission.  Full coverage Tank meets SRBs Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the external fuel tank for the STS-121 space shuttle mission is hoisted into position for attachment with the twin solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launch platform. The tank, ET-119, will carry the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen to feed Discovery's three main engines during launch.  Play video Atlantis on the move Space shuttle Atlantis is transported to the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building where the ship will be mated to the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters for a late-August liftoff.  PLAY | TIME-LAPSE Discovery ride along! A camera was mounted in the front of space shuttle Discovery's flight deck looking back at the astronauts during launch. This video shows the final minutes of the countdown and the ride to space with the live launch audio included. The movie shows what it would be like to launch on the shuttle with the STS-121 crew.  PLAY Shuttle from the air A high-altitude WB-57 aircraft flying north of Discovery's launch trajectory captures this incredible aerial footage of the space shuttle's ascent from liftoff through solid rocket booster separation.  PLAY Launch experience This is the full launch experience! The movie begins with the final readiness polls of the launch team. Countdown clocks then resume ticking from the T-minus 9 minute mark, smoothly proceeding to ignition at 2:38 p.m. Discovery rockets into orbit, as seen by ground tracker and a video camera mounted on the external tank. About 9 minutes after liftoff, the engines shut down and the tank is jettisoned as the shuttle arrives in space.  PLAY Become a subscriber More video NewsAlert Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop. Enter your e-mail address: Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.		STS-115 Coverage Atlantis returns from space with predawn landing The shuttle Atlantis dropped out of a clear, dark sky and glided to an eerie predawn landing Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center, wrapping up a successful space station assembly mission that kicks off a complex sequence of construction flights.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates    LANDING MAPS: ORBIT 186 | ORBIT 187 Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS GLIDES TO SAFE LANDING PLAY VIDEO: LONGER LENGTH MOVIE OF ATLANTIS' RETURN PLAY VIDEO: VIEW FROM RUNWAY MID-POINT PLAY VIDEO: CAMERA ON SOUTH END OF RUNWAY PLAY VIDEO: VIEW FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING ROOF PLAY VIDEO: LANDING WITH NATURAL SOUND FROM THE RUNWAY PLAY VIDEO: SUN RISES OVER ATLANTIS ON BEAUTIFUL MORNING PLAY VIDEO: NASA OFFICIALS EXAMINE ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS WELCOMED HOME PLAY VIDEO: CREW WALKS AROUND ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS THE RUNWAY PLAY VIDEO: POST-LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: ATLANTIS TOWED BACK TO HANGAR PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle Atlantis cleared for Thursday landing The Atlantis astronauts were cleared for a day-late landing Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center after a tedious robot-arm inspection showed the ship's heat shield was in good shape. The unusual inspection was ordered and the flight extended one day after an unknown object was spotted early Tuesday flying just below the shuttle.    FULL STORY    NO DAMAGE FOUND    MID-WAY UPDATE    INSPECTIONS BEGIN    CREW AWAKENED    PREVIEW STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR ENTRY DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: BRIEFING ON THE INSPECTION PLAN DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Soyuz spacecraft delivers new crew to the station The Russian Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft docked with the international space station early Wednesday, bringing a new commander and flight engineer to the outpost along with space tourist Anousheh Ansari.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SOYUZ DOCKS TO SPACE STATION PLAY VIDEO: POST-DOCKING NEWS BRIEFING PLAY MORE: EXPEDITION 14 VIDEO INDEX SUBSCRIBE NOW Space shuttle Atlantis' return to Earth postponed NASA managers Tuesday ordered the Atlantis astronauts to stop their landing preparations and to delay re-entry 24 hours to Thursday to give flight controllers additional time to assess the implications of an unusual object spotted earlier Tuesday flying below the shuttle. The astronauts later saw a second object.    FULL STORY - [updated @ 3:45 p.m.]    EARLIER STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: MID-DAY BRIEFING BY SHUTTLE CHIEF DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: LANDING OF ATLANTIS DELAYED ONE DAY PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE CAMERA SPOTS MYSTERY OBJECT PLAY VIDEO: HOUSTON TELLS CREW ABOUT THE OBJECT PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle, station, Soyuz crews enjoy orbital chat The 12 men and women currently off the planet got a chance to chat Tuesday morning, thanks to a long-distance conference call connecting the space shuttle Atlantis, the international space station and a Russian Soyuz capsule carrying a space tourist and the station's next crew.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LISTEN TO THE 3-SPACECRAFT CHAT PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Weather threatens Atlantis' Wednesday landing An approaching front is expected to bring high winds and possible thunder showers to Florida's Space Coast early Wednesday, threatening NASA's plans to bring the shuttle Atlantis back to Earth after a successful space station construction mission.    FULL STORY    SYSTEMS CHECKED FOR LANDING    LANDING MAPS: ORBIT 170 | ORBIT 171 Oxygen generator problem triggers station alarm Astronauts activated a smoke alarm in the Russian segment of the international space station Monday morning when fumes from an oxygen generator triggered momentary fear about a possible fire. Flight engineer Jeff Williams reported an unusual smell, but officials said there was no fire and the crew was not in any danger.    FULL STORY - updated Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: STATION AND SHUTTLE STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Final shuttle heat shield inspections performed The Atlantis astronauts carried out a final inspection of the shuttle's heat shield Monday, using a laser on the end of a long boom to look for signs of damage on the ship's nose cap and wing leading edge panels.    FULL STORY    MASTER FLIGHT PLAN Next station residents rocket to orbit aboard Soyuz A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying the international space station's next commander, flight engineer and a U.S. entrepreneur who hopes to pioneer commercial space exploration, blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Monday and rocketed safely into orbit.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE ENTIRE LAUNCH TO ORBIT PLAY VIDEO: EXPEDITION 14 BLASTS OFF ABOARD SOYUZ ROCKET PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH CAMERA REPLAY 1 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH CAMERA REPLAY 2 PLAY VIDEO: CROWDS GREET CREW AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY VIDEO: CREW DONS SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH MORNING TRADITIONS OF THE CREW PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW MOVIE OF EXPEDITION 14 PLAY VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE OF EXPEDITION 14 CREW PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis departs station The shuttle Atlantis undocked from the international space station Sunday, beaming down spectacular video of the lab complex and clearing the way for launch of the station's next full-time crew early Monday to kick off the 14th long-duration expedition.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    ATLANTIS UNDOCKS [flyaround photos]    HATCHES CLOSED    UNDOCKING PREVIEW Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SUNDAY'S STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: STATION BACKDROPPED BY BLACK SPACE PLAY VIDEO: STATION SLIDES BY EARTH'S HORIZON PLAY VIDEO: SPACE STATION FLYAROUND BY ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM THE STATION PLAY VIDEO: HATCHWAY CLOSED FOR UNDOCKING PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS BID FAREWELL PLAY VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS UNDOCKING PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Veteran credits rookies with saving the day The successful attachment and deployment of a huge new set of solar arrays on the international space station "bodes well" for a complex set of upcoming shuttle flights to build out the main power truss and ready the craft for attachment of European and Japanese research modules, Atlantis commander Brent Jett said Saturday.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY CBS NEWS' BILL HARWOOD PLAY VIDEO: ATLANTIS/STATION FLY OVER HURRICANE GORDON PLAY VIDEO: SATURDAY STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Astronauts enjoy off-duty time; Soyuz moved to pad The Atlantis astronauts, the major tasks of their space station assembly mission behind them, took a half-day off Saturday to relax and enjoy the view from 220 miles up. At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft was rolled to the launch pad and erected for blastoff to ferry the Expedition 14 to the station.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET ROLLS TO THE LAUNCH PAD PLAY VIDEO: ROCKET ERECTED UPRIGHT ON PAD PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis crew completes third and final spacewalk Astronauts Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper conducted a final spacewalk Friday to close out work on a new solar array truss and upgrade the international space station's communications system.    FULL STORY    PREVIEW STORY    ISS SPACEWALK STATS Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN BY HIGH-ALTITUDE WB-57 AIRCRAFT PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD INWARD PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD UPWARD PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD DOWNWARD PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT INWARD PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT UPWARD PLAY VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT DOWNWARD PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Space station spreads its new power wings The Atlantis astronauts successfully unfurled a second solar array Thursday, giving the international space station a new set of wings stretching some 240 feet from tip to tip and completing the primary goal of the 116th shuttle mission.    FULL STORY    FIRST ARRAY DEPLOYED Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING EXTENDED ONE SECTION PLAY VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING EXTENDED ONE SECTION PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Deployment of station's new solar arrays underway Running behind schedule because of software problems, flight controllers early Thursday began a slow, careful process to unfurl a new set of solar arrays aboard the international space station. The plan called for first deploying the huge panels just a few feet to let them warm up and decompress after years in storage. Later in the day, the Atlantis astronauts will send commands to fully extend the new arrays.    FULL STORY Initial solar array deploy held up for troubleshooting Flight controllers troubleshooting the problem with the solar array rotary joint determined a software commanding issue prevented the drive assembly from engaging properly. They resolved the problem late Wednesday. But the situation has delayed initial deployment of the solar array blankets.    FULL STORY    EARLIER STORY    ROTARY JOINT CHECKOUT BEGINS Spacewalkers prep solar array truss for activation Astronauts Dan Burbank and Steve MacLean, using their combined muscle power, a big wrench and lots of grunts and groans, finally freed an overly tight bolt Wednesday that threatened to prevent a massive rotating joint from operating properly.    FULL STORY - [updated]    ANOTHER LOST BOLT    EVA NO. 2 BEGINS Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: POST-EVA 2 STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: PORT 3/PORT 4 TRUSS KEEL PIN REMOVED AND STOWED PLAY VIDEO: HELMETCAM OF BURBANK REMOVING SARJ RESTRAINT PLAY VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS PAUSE FOR PICTURE TIME PLAY VIDEO: STEVE MACLEAN REPORTS LOST BOLT PLAY VIDEO: ROTARY JOINT LOCK REMOVED BY SPACEWALKER PLAY VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Heat shield OK; Shannon talks night launches, Hubble NASA's Mission Management Team Tuesday gave the shuttle Atlantis' heat shield a clean bill of health, formally clearing the ship and its crew for a normal re-entry Sept. 20 if no other problems develop.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: HEAT SHIELD CLEARED DIAL-UP | BROADBAND SUBSCRIBE NOW Spacewalkers unfold and wire up new station truss Astronauts Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper successfully wired in a new solar array truss segment Tuesday, removed launch restraints and deployed stowed appendages during a nearly flawless six-hour 26-minute spacewalk, the first of three complex excursions planned for the shuttle Atlantis' space station assembly mission.    EVA NO. 1 CONCLUDES - [updated]    SPACEWALK MID-POINT UPDATE    TRUSS INSTALLED, EVA BEGINS    DETAILED PREVIEW STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: POST-EVA 1 STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: TANNER LOSES BOLT DURING ROTARY JOINT WORK PLAY VIDEO: PIPER UNFOLDS SOLAR BLANKET BOXES SHORT | FULL VIDEO: SECOND WING'S STRUCTURE DEPLOYED BY PIPER PLAY VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING'S STRUCTURE DEPLOYED BY TANNER PLAY VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Additional heat shield inspections ruled out High-resolution photographs of the shuttle Atlantis' underbelly shot Monday during final approach to the international space station show the orbiter's heat shield tiles are in good shape with no obvious signs of damage. Agency engineers decided late today that additional heat shield inspections, a move that would have triggered a one-day mission extension, were not required.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: HEAT SHIELD INSPECTION BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW New solar array truss pulled from shuttle bay With only four inches or so of clearance, astronauts Dan Burbank and Chris Ferguson, operating the shuttle Atlantis' 50-foot-long robot arm, carefully lifted a 35,000-pound solar array truss from the orbiter's cargo bay Monday, maneuvered it safely past the ship's heat shield inspection boom and out over the shuttle's left wing.    FULL STORY    IMAGE GALLERY: TRUSS UNBERTHED Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: TRUSS HANDED FROM SHUTTLE ARM TO STATION ARM PLAY VIDEO: ARM MANEUVERS TRUSS OVER SHUTTLE WING PLAY VIDEO: TRUSS SLOWLY LIFTED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY VIDEO: ATLANTIS' ARM GRAPPLES THE TRUSS PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION PREVIEWING TRUSS UNBERTHING PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF PAYLOAD BAY CONFIGURATION PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis docks with station Commander Brent Jett guided the shuttle Atlantis to a gentle docking with the international space station Monday after a spectacular end-over-end flip across Africa, Italy and the Balkans to let the lab crew photograph the spaceplane's heat shield.    FULL STORY    DAY'S PREVIEW STORY    CREW TIMELINE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: ATLANTIS WELCOMED ABOARD THE STATION PLAY VIDEO: DOCKING REPLAY FROM CAMERA ON SHUTTLE ARM PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS DOCKS TO THE STATION PLAY VIDEO: ATLANTIS' BREATH-TAKING FLIP MANEUVER PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION PREVIEWING THE DOCKING PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Debris analysis update NASA's Mission Management Team has refined the timing of a handful of launch debris events noted during the shuttle Atlantis' climb to space Saturday. As mission managers reported Sunday, no impacts occurred during the first 135 seconds of flight, the period when atmospheric density is high enough to give debris enough energy to cause heat shield damage.    FULL STORY NASA has 'high confidence' Atlantis in good shape An initial assessment of the shuttle Atlantis' heat shield gives mission managers "high confidence" the spaceplane completed its climb to space Saturday without any potentially dangerous debris impacts, officials said Sunday.    FULL STORY Atlantis heat shield inspection goes smoothly The Atlantis astronauts inspected the shuttle's wing leading edge panels and nose cap Sunday as part of a now-standard post-Columbia checkout and while additional observations and analysis will take several more days to complete, no obvious signs of damage were seen.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    MASTER FLIGHT PLAN Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS INSPECTIONS PLAY VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis launch photos This collection of images shows shuttle Atlantis' beautiful blastoff at 11:15 a.m. Saturday to resume construction of the International Space Station. The photos were taken from the Kennedy Space center press site and sound-activated cameras positioned around pad 39B.    ENTER GALLERY Gallery: View from VAB roof This collection of images was taken by photographer Ben Cooper from the roof of the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building during space shuttle Atlantis' liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39B.    ENTER GALLERY Atlantis roars into space to restart station assembly The space shuttle Atlantis took off Saturday on its fifth try, kicking off a long-awaited flight to restart assembly of the international space station three years after the Columbia disaster derailed construction.    FULL STORY    TANK DEBRIS STORY    NASA TELEVISION SCHEDULE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LAUNCH OF ATLANTIS! PLAY VIDEO: SHEDDING FOAM MAY HAVE HIT ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: ONBOARD VIEW OF EXTERNAL TANK SEPARATION PLAY VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: STATION CREW TOLD VISITORS EN ROUTE PLAY VIDEO: HOUSTON RADIOS DEBRIS REPORT TO CREW PLAY VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: QUICK-LOOK BRIEFING ON DEBRIS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND LAUNCH REPLAYS: VIDEO: BEACH MOUND TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: CAMERA IN FRONT OF PAD PLAY VIDEO: BANANA CREEK VIEWING SITE PLAY VIDEO: VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING ROOF PLAY VIDEO: PAD 39B SIDE PERIMETER PLAY VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH ZOOM PLAY VIDEO: UCS 23 TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: UCS 11 TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 4 STEVE MACLEAN BOARDS ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 3 HEIDE PIPER BOARDS PLAY VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 2 DAN BURBANK BOARDS PLAY VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 1 JOE TANNER BOARDS PLAY VIDEO: PILOT CHRIS FERGUSON BOARDS PLAY VIDEO: COMMANDER BRENT JETT BOARDS PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS EMERGE FROM CREW QUARTERS PLAY VIDEO: CREW SUITS UP FOR LAUNCH TO SPACE PLAY VIDEO: FINAL INSPECTION TEAM CHECKS ATLANTIS PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS READY FOR SECOND LAUNCH TRY PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Suspect sensor stays 'wet' after tank drained Engine cutoff - ECO - sensor No. 3, the one that "failed wet" earlier Friday and derailed an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis, continued indicating it was immersed in liquid hydrogen after the ship's external tank was drained this afternoon, officials said. The other three ECO sensors in the hydrogen tank correctly indicated they were dry as one would expect.    FULL STORY Faulty fuel sensor scrubs shuttle Atlantis launch After a dramatic, down-to-the-wire debate, NASA's Mission Management Team called off the shuttle Atlantis' countdown Friday and delayed launch at least 24 hours because of concern about an apparently faulty low-level hydrogen fuel sensor in the ship's huge external tank.    FULL STORY [updated]    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    EARLIER SENSOR STORY    BACKGROUND ON ECO SENSORS Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: POST-SCRUB BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: FRIDAY'S LAUNCH ATTEMPT SCRUBBED PLAY VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR THE PAD PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS SUIT UP FOR LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: CREW'S LAUNCH MORNING SNACK TIME PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Fuel cell cleared for launch NASA managers Thursday cleared the shuttle Atlantis for launch Friday despite a suspect electrical generator, deciding the risk of an in-flight fuel cell shutdown that could prompt a shortened mission was not a credible threat to the thrice-delayed space station assembly flight.    FULL STORY    EARLIER STORY    LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR LAUNCH FRIDAY DIAL-UP | BROADBAND SUBSCRIBE NOW Launch slips to Friday NASA managers late Wednesday ruled out an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis Thursday but held open the possibility of a last-ditch Friday launching if engineers can resolve a problem with one of the ship's three electrical generators before time runs out.    FULL STORY Shuttle managers mull Atlantis fuel cell options NASA's Mission Management Team met Wednesday to discuss options for launching the shuttle Atlantis on a key space station assembly mission. A launch try Wednesday was scrubbed because of a possible short in one of the shuttle's three electricity producing fuel cells. It does not appear engineers have time to carry out any repairs before the current launch window runs out Friday, but they could opt to fly as is if troubleshooters can show the glitch can be isolated and not cause additional problems.    FULL STORY Atlantis launch scrubbed Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center are troubleshooting a problem with fuel cell No. 1 aboard the shuttle Atlantis. Officials have decided to scrub Wednesday's launch attempt. Another launch try could come Thursday, if the problem can be resolved in time.    FULL STORY    EARLIER STORY    IMAGE: STATION STREAKS OVER ATLANTIS    GALLERY: ATLANTIS ON THE EVE OF LAUNCH Hale talks foam redesign, mission extension options NASA managers are holding open the possibility of extending the shuttle Atlantis' mission by at least one and possibly two days to give the crew time to carry out additional heat shield inspections and to handle any unexpected problems that might crop up, officials said Tuesday.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates    LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: TUESDAY'S STATUS UPDATE BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Launch team set for three tries in a row, if needed NASA managers Monday agreed to make three consecutive attempts to get the shuttle Atlantis off the ground if bad weather or technical problems prevent an on-time liftoff Wednesday.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle Atlantis launch preps going smoothly Engineers loaded the shuttle Atlantis' fuel cell system with liquid hydrogen and oxygen early Monday, a key step in readying the spacecraft for launch Wednesday on a weather-delayed space station assembly mission. There are no technical problems of any significance at launch complex 39B, officials said Monday, and forecasters are continuing to predict an 80 percent chance of good weather.    FULL STORY    COUNTDOWN EVENTS TIMELINE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: MONDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Clocks begin ticking for Wednesday's blastoff The countdown has begun for Wednesday's launch of space shuttle Atlantis to deliver a set of power-generating solar wings to the space station. Clocks in Firing Room 4 of the Complex 39 Launch Control Center starting ticking at 8 a.m. EDT this morning.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER    LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST    COUNTDOWN EVENTS TIMELINE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE ON THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY VIDEO: SHORT MOVIE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS' MISSION PLAY VIDEO: OUTLOOK ON UPCOMING STATION ASSEMBLY FLIGHTS PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Astronauts arrive at Cape for second countdown The Atlantis astronauts flew back to the Kennedy Space Center Saturday for launch Wednesday on a weather-delayed space station assembly mission. The countdown begins at 8 a.m. Sunday with launch on tap, weather permitting, at 12:29 p.m. Wednesday.    FULL STORY    NASA TELEVISION SCHEDULE    ATLANTIS ASCENT DATA PACKET    MASTER FLIGHT PLAN    LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART    MEET THE ASTRONAUTS    MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2 Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES IN T-38 TRAINING JETS PLAY VIDEO: COMMENTS FROM CREW AFTER ARRIVAL PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Gallery: Travels of Atlantis This collection of photos shows space shuttle Atlantis' rollback from launch pad 39B forced by tropical storm Ernesto. Before reaching the Vehicle Assembly Building, however, forecasters lowered their outlook for winds at Kennedy Space Center and officials opted to halt the move in favor of getting Atlantis back on the pad that day.    ENTER GALLERY Atlantis launch officially rescheduled for next week NASA managers today formally selected Wednesday, September 6 as the new target launch date for shuttle Atlantis after inspections revealed no damage from tropical depression Ernesto's encounter with Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is set for 12:28:49 p.m. EDT.    MISSION STATUS CENTER Shuttle launch window extended to Sept. 8 NASA and Russian space managers agreed today to extend the shuttle Atlantis' launch window by one day, to Sept. 8, to bolster the U.S. space agency's chances of getting the weather-delayed shuttle off the ground this month.    FULL STORY Atlantis could be ready to launch by next week If shuttle Atlantis weathers tropical storm Ernesto without any major problems, and if engineers can complete hurried preparations, NASA may be ready to make a launch attempt as early as Sept. 6, one day before the shuttle's launch window closes, officials said late Tuesday.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER    ROLLBACK REVERSED    EARLIER STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: NEWS BRIEFING ON RETURN TO PAD DIALUP | BROADBAND VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLBACK BEGINS PART 1 | PART 2 MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW NASA reconsiders its daylight launch rule If the shuttle Atlantis fails to get off the ground before the Sept. 7 end of its current launch window - a scenario that could delay the flight to late October - NASA managers may reconsider an earlier decision to only launch in daylight.    FULL STORY Crawler problems add hours to rollback time Problems with one of NASA's ponderous crawler-transporters will force engineers to take the shuttle Atlantis to the far side of the Vehicle Assembly Building Tuesday if a rollback from the launch pad is ordered because of tropical storm/hurricane Ernesto. The change in plans will add three hours or so to the time necessary to get Atlantis out of harm's way.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates! Storm forces rollback preparations to begin In what amounts to a "perfect storm" of high winds, high stakes and international drama, tropical storm Ernesto threatens to bring hurricane-force winds to the Kennedy Space Center by Wednesday night. NASA managers Monday ordered engineers to begin work to roll the shuttle Atlantis off its seaside launch pad Tuesday, raising the prospect of a lengthy launch delay.    FULL STORY NASA defers Atlantis rollback decision to Monday NASA managers met Sunday evening and agreed to wait until Monday morning to make a decision on whether to roll the shuttle Atlantis back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, preserving for now the option of launching the ship Tuesday on a space station assembly mission.    FULL STORY    MID-DAY STORY    MORNING STORY    LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SUNDAY EVENING MANAGEMENT UPDATE PLAY VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Hurricane threatens; launch remains up in the air NASA managers plan to meet tonight to make a decision on whether to proceed with an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis Tuesday on a space station assembly mission or roll the spacecraft back to the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building because of hurricane Ernesto.    FULL STORY    EARLIER STORY    LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART Solid rocket booster tests could be ordered NASA's Mission Management Team decided early Sunday to continue testing and analysis to assess the possible effects of a launch pad lightning strike Friday on the shuttle Atlantis' solid-fuel booster and self-destruct systems. A Monday launch attempt remains feasible for now, sources said, but only if the community agrees time-consuming tests to verify the health of booster and range safety pyrotechnic systems are not needed. If the tests are required, launch likely would slip to mid week or later.    FULL STORY Lightning delays Atlantis launch at least a day The lightning bolt that hit launch pad 39B Friday was one of the most powerful on record at the Kennedy Space Center, sending some 100,000 amps of current through the lightning protection system, officials said Saturday. While the lightning protection system worked, shielding the shuttle Atlantis from a direct hit, engineers are concerned about induced currents that showed up in a brief spike in one of the shuttle's main circuits and another in a launch pad pyrotechnic system.    FULL STORY    EARLIER STORY    UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: OFFICIALS EXPLAIN INITIAL SCRUB PLAY VIDEO: SEE THE LIGHTNING STRIKE AT PAD B PLAY VIDEO: ANOTHER VIEW OF LIGHTNING STRIKE PLAY VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle Mission Preview Station construction to resume with Atlantis The shuttle Atlantis is poised for blastoff Sunday on a long-awaited flight to restart assembly of the international space station three years after the Columbia disaster derailed construction. Atlantis and its six-person crew will deliver a $372 million set of solar arrays to the outpost, kicking off the most ambitious series of manned space flights since the Apollo moon program. This is our 16,000-word preview of Atlantis' mission.    FULL REPORT Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW STS-115 Mission Archive Launch team battles back from weather delays The shuttle Atlantis' countdown is back on track today after delays Friday because of stormy weather. More afternoon storms are expected today and again tomorrow, prompting forecasters to predict a 60 percent chance of weather that would block the shuttle's planned 4:30 p.m. Sunday launch on a space station assembly mission.    FULL STORY    UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST NASA working around stormy weather at the Cape A lightning bolt struck near the space shuttle Atlantis Friday as powerful thunderstorms rolled across the Kennedy Space Center, but the launch pad lightning protection system shielded the orbiter and officials said the countdown was on track for a Sunday launch try, weather permitting.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis crew arrives as countdown begins early The shuttle Atlantis' astronauts flew to Florida Thursday to prepare for launch Sunday on a long-awaited flight to restart space station assembly. With forecasters predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather, liftoff from pad 39B is targeted for 4:30 p.m. Sunday.    FULL STORY    LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES FOR LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: THURSDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND SUBSCRIBE NOW Readiness review clears Atlantis pending final issues NASA managers Wednesday formally - and unanimously - cleared the shuttle Atlantis for blastoff Aug. 27 on a mission to restart space station assembly, pending resolution of two down-to-the-wire technical issues.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 16]    EARLIER COVERAGE    MASTER FLIGHT PLAN    LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART    MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2    REMAINING SHUTTLE LAUNCH SCHEDULE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCEMENT NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Interview with NASA's chief NASA Administrator Mike Griffin is known for being a straight shooter willing to make tough decisions. Brought on board by the Bush administration to implement a new initiative to return to the moon by the end of the next decade, Griffin is overseeing a difficult transition as NASA works to complete the international space station by 2010, phase out the space shuttle and develop a new manned spacecraft that will be safer and cheaper to operate.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 15] Shuttle readiness review begins; update on bolts NASA managers kicked off a two-day engineering review Tuesday to assess the shuttle Atlantis' readiness to blast off Aug. 27 on a long-awaited flight to restart space station assembly. Along with discussing the shuttle's external tank and the ongoing threat of falling foam insulation, engineers and managers also will discuss what to do about bolts holding the shuttle's KU-band antenna in place on the forward right wall of the ship's payload bay.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 15] Shuttle communications antenna bolts a concern Engineers are trying to determine whether critical bolts holding the shuttle Atlantis' KU-band antenna box in place are securely threaded, a potentially serious issue that could require tricky repairs before the ship's Aug. 27 launch, sources said Sunday.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 13] Atlantis crew ready to kick start station assembly The crew of the shuttle Atlantis reviewed launch pad emergency procedures Wednesday and in a brief question-and-answer session with reporters, described their upcoming station assembly flight as one of the most complex missions yet attempted.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 9] Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD PRESS CHAT DIAL-UP | BROADBAND MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Astronauts arrive at Cape for practice countdown The crew of the shuttle Atlantis flew to the Kennedy Space Center Monday for launch-site training and to participate in a dress-rehearsal countdown Thursday that will set the stage for blastoff Aug. 27 on a space station construction mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 7] NASA rules out moving up Atlantis launch date again NASA managers today decided to stick with an August 27 launch target for shuttle Atlantis based on an analysis that indicates orbital lighting would not be sufficient for a launch on August 26.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 3] Space shuttle Atlantis rolls to the launch pad Finally catching a break from the weather, the shuttle Atlantis was hauled to its ocean-side launch pad early Wednesday for final preparations before blastoff at the end of the month on a space station assembly mission.    FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 2]    MISSION STATUS CENTER    MASTER FLIGHT PLAN    LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART    MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2    REMAINING SHUTTLE LAUNCH SCHEDULE Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: ATLANTIS ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39B PLAY VIDEO: ROLLOUT FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING BEGINS PLAY VIDEO: TRUSS IN PAD'S PAYLOAD ROOM PLAY VIDEO: PAYLOAD HOISTED INTO THE PAD PLAY VIDEO: STATION TRUSS PAYLOAD DELIVERED TO PAD PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis move delayed Space shuttle Atlantis was supposed to make the slow crawl from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center before sunrise Monday, with the 8-hour trek scheduled to begin just after midnight. But heavy rain and thunderstorms have forced a one-day postponement.    MISSION STATUS CENTER Atlantis' launch opportunity moves a day earlier Space shuttle program officials Thursday formally changed the opening of Atlantis' launch window to Sunday, August 27 based on projected orbital lighting conditions for photographing the ship's fuel tank. The window had been targeted to open Aug. 28.    MISSION STATUS CENTER Shuttle Atlantis departs its hangar for upcoming launch Space shuttle Atlantis moved closer to its first flight in almost four years when the orbiter was hauled into Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday morning.    MISSION STATUS CENTER Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLS FROM HANGAR TO VAB PLAY VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE FOOTAGE OF SHUTTLE TRANSFER PLAY MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Atlantis set to depart its hangar for upcoming launch Space shuttle Atlantis will move closer to its first flight in almost four years when the orbiter is hauled into Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building at sunrise Monday.    MISSION STATUS CENTER				STS-115 patch The official crew patch for the STS-115 mission of space shuttle Atlantis to resume orbital construction of the International Space Station.  Choose your store: U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide