Space shuttle Atlantis to launch Sunday

Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis stands on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

(CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.) - Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch Sunday, December 9, at 3:21 p.m. EST, (12:21 P.M PST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

The prior launch was postponed because of an issue with a fuel cut-off sensor system (or ECO) inside the external fuel tank. After three days of reviewing data on a problem with fuel sensors the Shuttle program manages made the decision to liftoff.

Atlantis is scheduled for an 11 day mission focused on installing and activating the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory.

The Columbus laboratory is the first major contribution by the European Space Agency and will provide accommodation for experiments in the field of multidisciplinary research into biology, physiology, material science, fluid physics, technology, life science and education.