If there were to delay the launching, the NASA has a margin of two days for the takeoff of the Atlantis, if no, would have to postpone itself until the 16 of August by calendar problems, explained Graeber. Espectacin This mission has waked up special interest in the public, who hopes that he goes massively throughout the coast near the facilities of the NASA to see the last launching of history. However, Graeber made clear that in spite of the provoked sense of expectancy they do not have any type of pressure to continue ahead with the launching if the meteorological conditionses are not optimal because " main interest is the security of astronautas". The NASA informed into which the technicians have completed the test of security and the previous tests of the main system of propulsion of the ferry, that already is ready in the takeoff platform 39A, and confirmed that although there were storms during the weekend in the area, Atlanti s did not suffer no damage. Commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and the specialists of Sandy mission Magnus and Rex Walheim, arrived the 4 from July at the space center to complete the preparations before the launching. " I believe that I speak by all the crew if I say that we are enchanted to be here after nine arduous months of training and we are excited with being in Florida for the launching this here semana" , Ferguson said. During the day of this Tuesday the astronauts were reviewing the flight data and realising tests with their spacesuits. Future in the air This trip not only will be the last one of the Atlantis, but the final mission of the ferrys, that will stop operating after 30 years to the service of the NASA.
The future of the NASA it has been questioned in the last days since the aim of this program will leave an emptiness in the flights manned properly American by a time, until the ships are prepared that do the times of ferrys. In this period they will be the Russian ships the Soyuz those that supply to the EEI, while the United States has left into the hands of the private companies the development of the ships of the future for, according to recently said the director of the NASA, Charles Bolden, to concentrate in other more ambitious projects like the Mars exploration. " We are not leaving the manned flights. We are redirecting our commitment and taking the steps necessary, and difficult, to assure the American leadership the flights manned in the years venideros" , it assured. Source of the news: The count down for the last trip of the Atlantis begins