ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR ISS FLIGHT

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 247.01 FROM AMSAT HQ

NASA has informed ANS this it has cleared the space shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming launch to the International Space Station. The launch is set for September 8th.

The flight should last just short of two weeks during which time the seven member crew will unload space station supplies from both the shuttle and a Russian Progress cargo ship. The progress supply ship is currently docked to ISS.

NASA also reported that the spacesuits the Atlantis crew will use during this mission are completely safe. Earlier this summer several spacesuits were found to be contaminated with potentially flammable oil. NASA engineers cleaned oily regulators in the emergency oxygen packs of several suits and then checked the operation of its entire spacesuit inventory. All the suits passed.

The suits, which cost $12 million each, should not be confused with the orange spacesuits astronauts wear at launches and landings. NASA needs all 12 'spacewalking' suits to complete construction of the space station, with at least 20 spacewalks planned during the next 18 months.

The space agency will have under three minutes to launch Atlantis on September 8th rather than the usual five to 10 minute window for a space station linkup -- the shortest launch window ever for a shuttle. NASA is attempting to trim the launch windows, thus using the least amount of fuel to reach the station.

Amateur Radio operators worldwide are looking forward to the successful launch of Atlantis as it puts ham radio operation aboard the International Space Station one step closer. This Atlantis mission will not feature Amateur Radio operation from the shuttle or ISS, but ham radio is an important part of the mission as the Atlantis crew is scheduled to deliver ARISS hardware. Initial equipment will include 2-meter and 70cm handheld radios, a TNC, a specially developed headset and signal adapter module along with specially developed power adapters and the interconnecting cabling.

This mission marks the 4th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the 3rd Shuttle mission this year. Stay tuned to ANS for further updates.

[ANS thanks NASA, Roy Neal, K6DUE, and Florida Today for this information]