The Atlantis astronauts tested the shuttle's re-entry systems early Tuesday and packed for a Florida landing Wednesday, weather permitting, to close out a successful space station assembly mission, the orbiter's 32nd and final planned flight.

Credit: NASA

Commander Kenneth Ham and his five crewmates have two opportunities to land at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, the first at 8:48:14 a.m. EDT and the second, one orbit later, at 10:22:58 a.m.

But the Spaceflight Meteorology Group at the Johnson Space Center is predicting marginal weather, with low clouds and a chance for showers within 30 nautical miles of the landing strip that could cause problems. More of the same is expected Thursday and Friday.

The forecast for NASA's backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., calls for a slight chance of showers Wednesday, but acceptable weather Thursday and Friday.

Atlantis has enough on-board supplies to remain in orbit until Saturday in a worst-case scenario. But NASA reserves the final day to handle problems with the shuttle, not the weather. If Atlantis isn't down by Thursday, entry Flight Director Tony Ceccacci likely would order a landing Friday, on one coast or the other.

"Just looking ahead at the weather tomorrow, it's looking pretty favorable," astronaut Charles "Scorch" Hobaugh radioed from mission control. "They are carrying a chance of rain showers within 30 miles, they've been watching it today, and a low that's about 600 miles off shore will move a little tomorrow and hopefully keep some of those showers at bay. It's just something we'll have to watch tomorrow. As you know, it's always questionable no matter what.

"The winds tomorrow will be moderate strength right down (runway) 33. Right now, if we were to call it, it would be a close-in aim point to 33 and we also would have the option to go land on (runway) 15 with a rather large speedbrake. So early projection is we think we've got a pretty good fighting chance, but of course, we'll be watching it."

"OK, Scorch, we really appreciate the update," Ham replied. "Sounds like it's 50-50, either we land there or we don't. We'll take either end of the runway, whichever one you prefer. I guess if you think it might rain, we'll land on 15 and coast all the way to the OPF (Orbiter Processing Facility)."

"We like your plan," Hobaugh said. "The other thing, we'll reassess tomorrow if necessary, hopefully you won't have to get that far, but there is that thought right now that we'll just plan KSC the first two days and Friday will be our all-the-way-around, we'll-get-you-down-no-matter-what type day. So we'll reassess that tomorrow if we get to that point. But like I said, we hope to get you back tomorrow."

Ceccacci plans to brief reporters on his landing strategy at 10 a.m.

Ham, pilot Dominic "Tony" Antonelli and flight engineer Michael Good activated one of Atlantis' hydraulic power units early Tuesday, exercised the ship's aerosurfaces and test fired maneuvering jets in a standard pre-landing checkout. There were no problems of any significance.

Their crewmates - Stephen Bowen, Piers Sellers and Garrett Reisman - packed up loose gear and other equipment and readied Atlantis for entry. A final round of media interviews is on tap at 8:10 a.m. The shuttle's Ku-band antenna will be stowed at 1:10 p.m.

Here is an updated timeline of today's activity (in EDT and mission elapsed time; includes revision I of the NASA television schedule; best viewed with fixed-width font):

EDT........DD...HH...MM...EVENT

12:20 AM...10...10...00...STS crew wakeup
03:35 AM...10...13...15...Wing leading edge sensor deactivation
03:40 AM...10...13...20...Flight control system checkout
04:00 AM...10...13...40...Cabin stow begins
04:50 AM...10...14...30...Reaction control system hotfire
05:05 AM...10...14...45...PILOT simulator landing practice
06:40 AM...10...16...20...Crew choice downlink
07:40 AM...10...17...20...Deorbit review
08:10 AM...10...17...50...PAO event
08:30 AM...10...18...10...Crew meal
09:40 AM...10...19...20...L-1 comm check
09:50 AM...10...19...30...Cabin stow resumes
09:50 AM...10...19...30...Ergometer stow
10:00 AM...10...19...40...Mission status briefing on NTV
11:50 AM...10...21...30...Entry stow
12:50 PM...10...22...30...Laptop computer stow (part 1)
01:10 PM...10...22...50...Ku-band antenna stow
04:20 PM...11...02...00...Crew sleep begins
05:00 PM...11...02...40...Daily highlights reel on NTV
08:00 PM...11...05...40...HD crew highlights on NTV

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Additional coverage for subscribers:
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 11: GAZING DOWN AT PLANET EARTH PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 11 PLAY
VIDEO: STUNNING ORBITAL OVER FLORIDA PLAY
VIDEO: LEAD FLIGHT DIRECTOR CALLS THE CREW PLAY
VIDEO: UPDATE FROM MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 11 ACTIVITIES PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS FLIES UNDERNEATH THE COMPLEX PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE BEGINS FLYAROUND OF THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS BID FAREWELL TO STATION CREW PLAY
VIDEO: IN-FLIGHT CREW NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF UNDOCKING AND FLYAROUND PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: UPDATE ON NEW RASSVET MODULE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: CELEBRATION OF ISAAC NEWTON PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 9: GOODIES AND FOOD TREATS PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CARGO PALLET RETURNED TO ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 9 PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: GETTING READY TO GO OUTSIDE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: ASTRONAUTS WALKING IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: PIERS WORKS IN THE CUPOLA PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 8: PEEK INSIDE RASSVET MODULE PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 8 PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: LAST OF THE OLD BATTERIES STOWED AWAY PLAY
VIDEO: FINAL BATTERY INSTALLED IN THE SIX-PACK PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS INSTALL BATTERY ECHO PLAY
VIDEO: BATTERY REPLACEMENT WORK RESUMES PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH THE ASTRONAUTS BEGIN THE SPACEWALK PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 3 PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: STATION'S NEWEST MODULE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: GETTING READY TO WALK IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: ATLANTIS' COMMANDER AND PILOT PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 7: CHATTING WITH STATION RESIDENT PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 7 PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: ASSOCIATED PRESS, FOX AND CBS INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: DINNER TIME IS FUN TMIE IN SPACE PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: THE VICTORIOUS SPACEWALKERS PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 6: MIKE AND STEVE RETURN FROM EVA PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 6 PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: REMOVING GIMBAL LOCKS ON ANTENNA DISH PLAY
VIDEO: ADDING TO TORQUE TO NEW KU-BAND ATENNA PLAY
VIDEO: THE DAY'S FINAL NEW BATTERY INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: THIRD OLD BATTERY PULLED OUT AND STOWED PLAY
VIDEO: SECOND FRESH BATTERY PUT INTO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST OF THE NEW BATTERIES INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS REMOVE FIRST OLD BATTERY PLAY
VIDEO: CABLE ON INSPECTION SENSOR UNTANGLED PLAY
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH OF EVA NO. 2 PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 6 ACTIVITIES PLAY

HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: FLIGHT DECK OF ATLANTIS PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: GIVING WATER TO STATION PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: INSIDE DESTINY LABORATORY PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: ROBOTICS WORKSTATION IN CUPOLA PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: LOOKING OUT WINDOW AT EARTH PLAY
HIGH DEFINITION TV DAY 5: DAILY SHUTTLE CHORES PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 5 PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: MSNBC AND CNN INTERVIEWS OF CREW PLAY
VIDEO: CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL AROUND PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET CAPTURED AND SECURED TO ZARYA MODULE! PLAY
VIDEO: TWEAKING FINAL ALIGNMENT OVER DOCKING PORT PLAY
VIDEO: DOCKING PROBE EXTENDED FROM RASSVET NOSE PLAY
VIDEO: SWINGING RASSVET FROM ATLANTIS TO STATION PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 5 ACTIVITIES PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED OVERVIEW OF RUSSIA'S RASSVET MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED OVERVIEW OF MISSION'S CARGO CARRIER PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: AN ADDITION TO DEXTRE ROBOT PLAY
VIDEO: TORQUING ANTENNA ASSEMBLY INTO PLACE PLAY
VIDEO: FETCHING 6-FOOT-DIAMETER ANTENNA DISH PLAY
VIDEO: BOLTING BOOM ATOP STATION'S Z1 TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS HANDOFF ANTENNA BOOM PLAY
VIDEO: UNPACKING ANTENNA BOOM FROM CARRIER PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALK NO. 1 BEGINS PLAY
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VIDEO: PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 4 ACTIVITIES PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM CHAIRMAN UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: CARRIER ATTACHED TO STATION'S RAILCAR PLAY
VIDEO: CARGO PALLET LIFTED FROM SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR SHUTTLE CREW PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS DOCKS TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PERFORMS BACKFLIP MANEUVER PLAY
VIDEO: BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF SHUTTLE ATLANTIS APPROACHING PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 3 ACTIVITIES PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FOR FLIGHT DAY 2 PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM CHAIRMAN UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: THE FULL STS-132 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS BLASTS OFF! PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GO INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AFB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE CREW QUARTERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW FINISHES GETTING SUITED UP PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS WEARING TUXEDOS LAUNCH DAY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF SHUTTLE'S PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF PAYLOADS' PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ATLANTIS ON EVE OF FINAL PLANNED LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD'S SERVICE TOWER RETRACTED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS CLOSED FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS INSPECT THE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: JERRY ROSS' LAUNCH ON MISSION STS-61B PLAY
VIDEO: MAIDEN LAUNCH OF ATLANTIS AS SEEN LIVE IN 1985 PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS' FIRST MISSION ENDS WITH LAKEBED LANDING PLAY
VIDEO: AN ASTRONAUT'S TRIBUTE TO SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PLAY

VIDEO: COUNTDOWN STATUS AND WEATHER FORECAST PLAY
VIDEO: WATCH NASA'S PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: GET BRIEFED ON THE LAUNCH COUNTDOWN PLAY
VIDEO: HEAR FROM THE COMMANDER AT THE RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE IN FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH KEN HAM PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH TONY ANTONELLI PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH GARRETT REISMAN PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH MIKE GOOD PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH STEVE BOWEN PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH PIERS SELLERS PLAY

VIDEO: STS-132 MISSION PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FULL FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: RECAP OF THE FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MANAGERS ASSESS ISSUES BEFORE FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: UPDATE ON PRE-LAUNCH PREPS AT PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PROGRAM BRIEFING BY SHUTTLE AND STATION CHIEFS PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-132 MISSION OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE EVACUATION PRACTICE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS BOARD ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH DAY REHEARSAL BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW BRIEFED ON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TEST-DRIVING AN EMERGENCY ARMORED TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW'S CHAT WITH REPORTERS AT PAD 39A PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER RUNWAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES FOR PRACTICE COUNTDOWN PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: GANTRY PLACED AROUND ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS REACHES PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CROWDS AND THE CREW CHEER ON ATLANTIS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: OVERNIGHT ROLLOUT TO THE PAD BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SHUTTLE HOISTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CRANE ROTATES THE ORBITER VERTICALLY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ATLANTIS RISES OFF THE TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ORBITER EMERGES FROM ITS HANGAR PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BUTTONING UP RUDDER/SPEED BRAKE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DOME SHIELDS AROUND MAIN ENGINES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK ATTACHED TO BOOSTERS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PAYLOADS HEAD FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RASSVET PLACED INTO THE TRANSPORTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: PALLET LOADED WITH MISSION'S CARGO PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RUSSIAN RASSVET MODULE ON DISPLAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RUSSIAN ENGINEERS DISCUSS THEIR RASSVET MODULE PLAY
VIDEO: RASSVET HATCH CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FILLING MODULE WITH NASA SUPPLIES PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS VISIT THEIR SPACECRAFT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW INSPECTS RASSVET MODULE PLAY | HI-DEF
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