Feb 18, 2008 6:45 am US/Eastern
Space Shuttle Atlantis Undocks, Bound For Earth
HOUSTON (AP) ―
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The exterior of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' crew cabin and docking system is seen Feb. 9, 2008.
NASA/Getty Images
The space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the international space
station early Monday for its journey back to Earth, ending a nearly
nine-day visit to deliver, install and activate Europe's new orbital
laboratory.
Pilot Alan Poindexter gently backed the shuttle away from the
station and guided the ship through a full lap around the orbiting
outpost, primarily so crew members could take pictures of the station's
new configuration.
"We're looking forward to getting home and we're headed home now," Poindexter said.
A few hours later, the crew started taking another close-up laser
survey of Atlantis' wings, this time to check for any possible
micrometeorite damage that may have occurred in orbit.
NASA is vigilant when it comes to the shuttle's thermal shielding,
ever since Columbia was destroyed in 2003 following a foam strike to
its wing during launch.
Just before Atlantis undocked, shuttle commander Stephen Frick
thanked station commander Peggy Whitson and her crew for their
hospitality.
"We had a great time over there," he said. "We learned a lot and we really, really enjoyed working with your crew."
"Thanks you, guys," Whitson responded. "It's a great new room you've added on and we really appreciate it."
Atlantis' crew arrived at the station Feb. 9 and planned to quickly
get to work installing Columbus, Europe's $2 billion contribution to
the station. But German astronaut Hans Schlegel fell ill after the
launch, forcing NASA to pull him from the installation spacewalk and
delay the outing.
Schlegel, 56, quickly recovered and helped guide his spacewalking
replacement from inside the station. He was well enough to participate
in the mission's second spacewalk. Neither he nor NASA disclosed the
nature of his illness.
Heading home with Atlantis is astronaut Daniel Tani, who's spent
four months at the space station. Tani was supposed to fly home aboard
Atlantis in December, but fuel gauge problems delayed the shuttle's
trip.
Before the hatches between the spacecraft closed on Sunday, Tani
paid tribute to his mother, Rose, who was killed in a car accident
while he was in space — "my inspiration" — and his wife, Jane, who "had
the hard work while I was having fun."
"I can't wait to get back to her and my two little girls," he said.
Atlantis is scheduled to land Wednesday morning. Both the Kennedy
Space Center and the backup landing site in California will be ready;
the space agency wants the shuttle down that day to give the military
enough time to destroy a damaged spy satellite.
The space agency already is looking ahead to the next shuttle flight
to the orbiting station. Endeavour made the slow trip to the launch pad
early Monday in preparation for a March 11 liftoff.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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