Special report: Launch of
Atlantis
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Space shuttle Atlantis uses its robotic arm to inspect for possible damage to the heat shield.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Officials overseeing
the Atlantis shuttle mission gave the go-ahead Wednesday for its planned landing
on Thursday in Florida, according to NASA official website updates.
NASA said mission managers cleared space shuttle
Atlantis for landing. The first available landing opportunity is at 6:21 a.m.
EDT (1021 GMT) Thursday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
"We are cleared for entry -- nothing was found
missing or damaged on the thermal protection system, the heat shield of the
Space Shuttle Atlantis or in fact any other part of the space shuttle, so we
feel very confident we have a very good landing opportunity Thursday," said
shuttle program manager Wayne Hale.
NASA delayed a scheduled Wednesday landing and
ordered inspections of the shuttle after a mysterious object was seen flying
near the ship on Tuesday.
The final "go-ahead" decision came after
engineers reviewed heat shield inspections performed by the crew. The two inspections
were conducted to ensure all of Atlantis' critical equipment is in good shape.
During the initial inspection, the astronauts used cameras on the shuttle's robotic
arm to conduct the scans. And the second inspection with the orbiter boom
sensor system allows managers to get a more detailed look to ensure that Atlantis
is safe to return to Earth. After closer scrutiny over the shuttle heat shield, NASA
managers expressed optimism they could try to land the shuttle in Florida on
Thursday.
To get ready for landing, the crew packed up gear and
stowed the Ku-Band antenna, which is used for most shuttle television
transmissions.
Forecasts for Thursday call for acceptable weather at
the Florida landing site.
Atlantis' first and prime landing opportunity begins
with a de-orbit burn at 5:14 a.m. EDT (0914 GMT), to start the descent to
Florida. A second opportunity is available, beginning with a de-orbit burn at
6:50 a.m. EDT (1050 GMT) leading to a landing at 7:57 a.m. EDT (1157 GMT) in
Florida.
The STS-115 mission has resumed the construction of
the International Space Station. Atlantis delivered the new integrated truss to
the station on Sept. 11. The STS-115 and Expedition 13 crews used the shuttle
and station robotic arms to attach the truss to the orbital outpost. Then
STS-115 astronauts conducted three spacewalks in four days to prepare the truss
and its solar arrays for operation. Enditem
BEIJING, Sept. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- A mystery object seen floating near
the space shuttle Atlantis has forced NASA to delay the shuttle's return for an
extra day while engineers try to determine possible damage to the
spacecraft.
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In this view from NASA TV,
the space shuttle Atlantis is seen from a window of the International
Space Station as it performs a 360-degree fly-around of the orbiting
laboratory after undocking September 17, 2006. The black strips at the top
and bottom of the image are due to the 16:9 aspect ratio of the hand-held
high definition video cameras used to record the event from on board the
station.Photo Gallery
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 17
(Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International
Space Station (ISS) at 8:50 a.m. EDT (1250 GMT)Sunday after astronauts had
finished the installation of new solar panels to the orbiting outpost, NASA TV
reported.
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Two Atlantis astronauts
successfully completed the mission's third and final spacewalk.
(Xinhua/AFP Photo)Photo Gallery
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 15
(Xinhua) -- Two Atlantis astronauts successfully completed the mission's third
and final spacewalk Friday morning, according to a report from NASA's mission
control center.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13
(Xinhua) -- Two astronauts finished on Wednesday morning the second spacewalk of
a shuttle mission critical to completion of the half-finished orbital
outpost.
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Astronaut Joe Tanner works to make the
P3/P4 truss operational during his extravehicular excursion from the
International Space Station in this view from NASA TV, September 12,
2006.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)Photo Gallery
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Atlantis
mission specialists Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper smoothly
finished the first of three spacewalks Tuesday morning, preparing the new truss
for operation, according to NASA
TV.
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