Atlantis Home from STS-117
The space shuttle Atlantis touched down Friday afternoon after a successful mission servicing the International Space Station. Because of bad weather in Florida, the shuttle was delayed a day, and finally re-routed to Edwards Air Force Base in California. It touched down at 3:49 pm EDT.
Over the course of their 14-day mission in space, the astronaut crew installed the new S3/S4 truss to the station, and deployed the new solar wings. They also retracted an older solar array, and performed some other minor fixes.
One of the big concerns was a thermal blanket that dislodged during Atlantis‘ launch. The astronauts tucked the blanket back in during one the mission’s 4 spacewalks. Whether or not the repair was necessary, Atlantis returned through the Earth’s atmosphere without a problem.
The next mission, STS-118, is scheduled for August and will deliver the S5 truss segment to the station.
Original Source : NASA
Recent Posts
How Knot Theory Can Help Spacecraft Can Change Orbits Without Using Fuel
When a spacecraft arrives at its destination, it settles into an orbit for science operations.…
Another New Molecule Discovered Forming in Space
The list of chemicals found in space is growing longer and longer. Astronomers have found…
JWST Uses “Interferometry Mode” to Reveal Two Protoplanets Around a Young Star
The JWST is flexing its muscles with its interferometry mode. Researchers used it to study…
A Cold Brown Dwarf is Belching Methane Into Space
Brown dwarfs span the line between planets and stars. By definition, a star must be…
Measuring Exoplanetary Magnetospheres with the Square Kilometer Array
Life on Earth would not be possible without food, water, light, a breathable atmosphere and…
Psyche is Still Sending Data Home at Broadband Speeds
When I heard about this I felt an amused twinge of envy. Over the last…