NASA: Shuttle Atlantis ready to go

Mike Moses, the space shuttle launch integration manager, said the vote was unanimous to begin the countdown.

"It was a really smooth meeting: Atlantis is ready to go," he said.

Kathy Winters, the shuttle weather officer, said even the elements are cooperating. She said forecasts show only a 10 percent chance weather could force the launch to be scrubbed.

The launch is scheduled for 2:28 p.m. EST at Cape Canaveral. The structure that protects the shuttle from the elements is to be rolled away at 5:30 p.m. Sunday and loading of the external fuel tanks starts at 5 a.m. Monday.

The six members of the mission crew arrived Thursday in Florida. This is to be the fifth shuttle mission of 2009, the most annually since 2002.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.