NASA on track for Monday space shuttle launch

[November 14, 2009]  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- NASA remains on track for a Monday launch of space shuttle Atlantis. Even the weather is looking great.

Atlantis will deliver a full load of spare parts to the International Space Station, along with six astronauts who will unload everything.

Liftoff is scheduled for 2:28 p.m. Monday. Although an unmanned rocket did not take off Saturday morning with a communication satellite as planned, the countdown for Atlantis is still proceeding.

That's because the Atlas rocket has a technical problem that cannot be fixed quickly. A Sunday launch attempt would have delayed the shuttle flight by one day.

Forecasters say there's a 90 percent chance of good flying weather Monday.

Only six shuttle missions remain, including this one.

[Associated Press; By MARCIA DUNN]

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