The space shuttle Atlantis makes its way to launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Feb. 15, 2007.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- NASA's space shuttle Atlantis arrived at the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, in preparation for the mid-March flight mission, according to NASA TV.

    On a bright and sunny morning, Atlantis left the vehicle Assembly Building and began the 3.4-mile (5.5-km) sluggish journey to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 8:19 a.m. EST (1319 GMT). The shuttle resting atop the crawler transporter made the approximate 6-hour trip to the pad, finishing the major milestone for STS-117, the first flight mission of the year.

    Now shuttle Atlantis is safely in place on the pad, and the payloads will be transferred into the orbiter's payload later in the day. The launch of Mission STS-117 will be the first liftoff from Pad 39A in four years.

    The flight of Atlantis to the International Space Station has been targeted for March 15. The six-man crew of Atlantis will install a new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Lessons learned from two previous missions will provide the astronauts with new techniques and tools to perform their duties.