Shuttle bosses continue preparations for last launch

Nasa has continued fuelling space shuttle Atlantis for its final lift-off today even though stormy weather threatened to delay the launch.

Forecasters stuck to their original 70% chance of thunderstorms or rain, as fuel began flowing into Atlantis’ tank in the pre-dawn hours.

Mission managers acknowledged it might seem silly to proceed with fuelling, given the dismal forecast, NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said.

They said they would reassess the weather at sunrise and decide whether it makes sense to keep counting down.

The launch is scheduled for 16.26pm Irish Time.

The four shuttle astronauts were still asleep when the fuelling operation began.

“Have you done your rain dance for the day?” joked Aly Mendoza, the tank and booster rocket vehicle manager.

Atlantis holds a year’s worth of supplies – more than 8,000 lbs (3,600 kilos) - for the International Space Station.

An estimated 750,000 people are expected to jam Cape Canaveral and surrounding towns for this final shuttle launch, reminiscent of the crowds that gathered for the Apollo moon shots.

Nasa must launch Atlantis by Sunday or Monday, otherwise it will have to wait until at least July 16 because of an unmanned rocket launch scheduled for next week.

The 12-day mission will end the space shuttle programme, which began with the launch of Columbia in 1981.

Atlantis will join Discovery and Endeavour in retirement, so Nasa can focus on sending astronauts to asteroids and Mars. Private companies will take over the business of getting space station cargo and crews to orbit.

Once Atlantis soars, it will be another three years – possibly five or more - before astronauts blast off again from US soil.

This will be the 33rd flight for Atlantis and the 135th shuttle mission overall.