The Space Shuttle Atlantis arrived at Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:09 p.m. EST. Atlantis began its 3.4 mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building at 8:19 a.m.
It traveled just under 1 mph. The launch of Mission STS-117 will be the first liftoff from Pad 39A in four years.
The next milestone for this mission is a full launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test from Feb. 21 to 23 at Kennedy.
The flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station has been targeted for March 15.
The Atlantis crew will install a new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Lessons learned from two previous missions will provide the astronauts with new techniques and tools to perform their duties.
Commanding the Atlantis team is Frederick Sturckow, a veteran of two shuttle missions (STS-88, STS-105), while Lee Archambault will be making his first flight as the shuttle's pilot.
Mission Specialists James Reilly (STS-89, STS-104) and Patrick Forrester (STS-105) will be returning to the station. Steven Swanson and John Olivas, both mission specialists, join the crew for their first flight into space.
The mission astronauts will return to Kennedy a few weeks before liftoff to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test.
During this time they will practice launch activities, safety exercises, inspect the payload and conclude with a simulated main engine cut-off exercise.
