KEY POINTS:
Seven astronauts charged with delivering a European science laboratory into orbit arrived at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida yesterday to prepare for Friday's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis.
If the launch occurs at its scheduled time of 10.31am NZ time, Atlantis will reach the International Space Station on Sunday so the crew can begin hooking up the new Columbus laboratory.
"We're looking forward to having visitors," said space station commander Peggy Whitson.
Whitson and her two crewmates have completed three spacewalks, relocated Columbus' berth and moved the shuttle's docking port in preparation for Atlantis' arrival.
"We basically have the infrastructure and the capabilities for [the] station to support our science research," said Debbie Hahn, a Nasa payload manager at the Kennedy Space Centre.
"We're moving out very quickly to support it with the science laboratories and the experiments and the science that we'd always hoped we'd reach with the International Space Station."
The mission's three-day countdown clock started yesterday.
Installation of Europe's Columbus module will be followed early next year with launches of Japan's multipart Kibo laboratory complex.
Including Atlantis' mission, Nasa has 10 shuttle flights remaining to complete construction of the US$100 billion ($131 billion) orbital outpost, a project of 16 member nations.
"It's been a long wait," said French astronaut Leopold Eyharts, an Atlantis crew member who will stay on board the station to oversee Columbus' setup.
"We're absolutely ready to go," added Atlantis commander Stephen Frick.
Nasa will have until December 13 or 14 for launch attempts before sun angles and associated temperature issues become a concern for the shuttle while it is docked at the space station.
- REUTERS
