STS-112's launch countdown began over the weekend at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and preparations remain on schedule for lift off. The STS-112 crew arrived at KSC Sunday morning. Space Shuttle Atlantis is slated to launch Wednesday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. CDT (1800 and 2200 GMT).

Weather forecasts call for a 60-percent chance of favorable weather at launch, with the main concerns being showers and thunderstorms in the vicinity. Meanwhile, managers continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Lili and will discuss contingency plans if Lili threatens the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Currently, Lili poses no immediate threat to KSC.

Atlantis and its six-member crew will deliver the S-1 (S-One) Truss to the International Space Station. The crew will perform three spacewalks at the station and will transfer supplies and equipment between the two vehicles.