NASA to launch space shuttle Atlantis on Nov. 16

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to be launched on Nov. 16 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for an 11-day flight to the International Space Station, NASA said Thursday.

Atlantis' launch date was announced Thursday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy.

During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined that the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures were ready.

The Nov. 16 target date depends on a planned Nov. 14 launch of an Atlas V rocket from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Atlas has reserved the Eastern Range on Nov. 14 and 15. If the Atlas launch is delayed to Nov. 15, the shuttle's liftoff will be postponed to no earlier than Nov. 17, said NASA.

According to NASA, the mission of Altantis will focus on storing spare hardware on the exterior of the space station. The flight will include three spacewalks and install two platforms on the station's truss, or backbone. The platforms will hold spare parts to sustain station operations after the shuttle fleet is retired.