Astronauts to begin pre-launch quarantine

HOUSTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- NASA says the six STS-129 astronauts scheduled to lift off next week to the International Space Station are ready to begin their quarantine period.

The six astronauts spent Monday attending to administrative duties at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA said. They were to enter a germ-free environment Monday night, where they will remain until Thursday when they fly to the Kennedy Space Center.

Liftoff is set for 2:28 p.m. EST on Monday Nov. 16, with the countdown to begin at 1 p.m. EST Friday.

At the space center in Florida, NASA said the work week began with the installation of new equipment at Launch Pad 39A. Technicians were to install instruments in both the mobile launcher platform's service mast and in space shuttle Atlantis' aft section. NASA said the equipment will record the sound pressure and vibration at liftoff -- which recently were determined to be stronger than originally thought.

The testing of the "main engine acoustic environment" using microphones and sensors will continue with next week's launch.

The STS-129 mission will be commanded by Charles Hobaugh and piloted by Barry Wilmore, with astronauts Robert Satcher Jr., Mike Foreman, Randy Bresnik and Leland Melvin. Wilmore, Satcher and Bresnik will be making their first trips into space.

Atlantis and its crew will deliver various pieces of equipment to the space station, with the mission to include three spacewalks.