By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Dec 3 (Reuters) - Seven astronauts charged with delivering a European science laboratory into orbit arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday to prepare for Thursday's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis.

If the launch occurs at its scheduled time of 4:31 p.m. EST (2131 GMT), Atlantis will reach the International Space Station on Saturday so the crew can begin hooking up the new Columbus laboratory.

"We're looking forward to having visitors," said space station commander Peggy Whitson.

Whitson and her two crewmates have completed three spacewalks, relocated Columbus' berth and moved the shuttle's docking port in preparation for Atlantis' arrival.

"We basically have the infrastructure and the capabilities for (the) station to support our science research," Debbie Hahn, a NASA payload manager at the Kennedy Space Center, told reporters.

"We're moving out very quickly to support it with the science laboratories and the experiments and the science that we'd always hoped we'd reach with the International Space Station."

Installation of Europe's Columbus module will be followed early next year with launches of Japan's multi-part Kibo laboratory complex.

Including Atlantis' mission, NASA has 10 shuttle flights remaining to complete construction of the $100 billion orbital outpost, a project of 16 member nations.

The U.S. space agency also plans to fly two resupply missions to the station and service the Hubble Space Telescope before retiring the shuttle fleet in 2010.

"It's been a long wait," said French astronaut Leopold Eyharts, an Atlantis crewmember who will stay aboard the station to oversee Columbus' setup.

"We're absolutely ready to go," added Atlantis commander Stephen Frick. "We're really eager to launch successfully on the first try."

NASA will have until Dec. 13 or 14 for launch attempts before sun angles and associated temperature issues become a concern for the shuttle while it is parked at the space station. (Editing by Tom Brown)

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