NASA and launch teams here at the Kennedy Space Center are spending today moving the space shuttle Atlantis out to her ocean side launch pad in preparation for her journey into space next month.
Riding a top Mobile Launcher Platform #3, Atlantis departed the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to begin her 3.4 mile trip out to launch pad 39-A at 6:38 am EDT this morning -- a bit later than planned due to light rain.
The MLP moves at a top speed of 1 mph with a space shuttle stack a top it as it rolls along it's own private road made up of multiple layers of bedrock and stone. At all times the MLP has to keep it's top surface level, thus when it approaches an incline, it will raise either end to match a level area.
At 8AM, the MLP stopped for five minutes due to an area of concern which turned out to be nothing.
Atlantis is scheduled to depart KSC bound for the International Space Station on November 12 on a resupply flight.
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