Atlantis Lands Safely in California - The landing coverage
The following events took place prior to the start of today's landing
coverage:
At 10:25 a.m. EDT, Atlantis was given the go-ahead from Mission Control to
close the 60-foot-long payload bay doors in preparation for landing.
Astronaut Steve Lindsey is in the air to provide weather reconnaissance at
the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy, relaying weather information to
Mission Control in Houston. Astronaut Scott Altman is ready to take off in a
T-38 jet aircraft at Edwards to monitor the weather conditions for the
secondary landing site.
Atlantis commander Rick Sturckow was instructed to go for "Ops 3" at 10:42
a.m. This action transitions the software to the onboard computers that is
used for entry and landing.
The Atlantis crew members donned their orange launch-and-entry suits and
after suiting up, will take their assigned seats for reentry. Commander
Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault have been seated and are going through
their checklists.
Mission Control is discussing the "go/no go" for fluid loading. This means
the astronauts will drink large amounts of fluids to aid them in their
re-acclimation into Earth's gravity. Each crewmember will drink
approximately 40 ounces of water -- about eight ounces every fifteen minutes
-- and take salt pills to help them increase their fluid volume. Crewmembers
will drink chicken consume, orange-aid or water.
12 p.m. - Welcome to the coverage of the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis,
coming to you from the NASA News Center at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The orbiter is set to land today after a challenging but successful mission
to the International Space Station.
Both landing opportunities were waved off yesterday due to possible
thunderstorm activity over the Florida landing site. There are five landing
opportunities today; two at Kennedy and three at Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
12:07 p.m. - Mission Control has waved off the first landing attempt at
Kennedy. There are potential showers in the area of the landing facility
violating weather constraints.
12:10 p.m. - The second landing opportunity at Kennedy would be at 3:55 p.m.
and 3:49 p.m. EDT at Edwards. The flight controllers are weighing both
options with Kennedy being the preferred landing site.
12:20 p.m. - Space Shuttle Atlantis is 213 statute miles above the Pacific
Ocean in orbit around the Earth.
12:53 p.m. - Astronauts Steve Lindsey and Scott Altman have taken to the
skies on the east and west coast to monitor weather conditions for both
Kennedy and Edwards landing opportunities.
Atlantis has two different runway options when landing at Kennedy: Runway 33
at the Shuttle Landing Facility is used when the orbiter comes in from the
southeast and Runway 15 is used when it comes in from the northwest. The
runway determination is largely based on wind direction and speed.
1:11 p.m. - Altman is flying a Shuttle Training Aircraft, a modified
Gulfstream business jet. The aircraft is built to mimic the orbiter's glide
to Earth. He can then relay to Atlantis what to expect if the orbiter should
land at Edwards today.
1:25 p.m. - If landing is scheduled for Edwards Air Force Base, a ferry
flight to bring the orbiter back to Kennedy for processing could take place
after about 7 days.
1:35 p.m. - Mission Control has given the crew the go ahead for fluid
loading.
1:50 p.m. - After assessing the weather data flight controllers had to wave
off the second landing opportunity for Kennedy. The forecast for Edwards
appears to be clear.
1:55 p.m. With NASA planning to land Atlantis at Edwards Air Force Base in
California, the orbiter would fire its Orbital Maneuvering System engines at
2:43 p.m. EDT, 11:43 a.m. PDT.
1:57 p.m. - The landing time for Edwards would occur at 3:49 EDT, 12:49 PDT
with deorbit burn a little less than an hour prior.
2:12 p.m. - Fifty space shuttle missions have landed at Edwards Air Force
Base. The most recent was STS-114, when Discovery landed at the California
base in 2005.
The orbital maneuvering system engines are crucial for entry. The two
engines housed in the pods at the end of the orbiter, act as a brake in
space that allows the orbiter to fall into the atmosphere back to Earth.
2:16 p.m. - Atlantis will shortly be given the command for deorbit burn
scheduled for 2:43 p.m. EDT. The deorbit burn will slow Atlantis by 200 mph,
causing it to fall out of orbit and begin the descent for landing.
2:19 p.m. - Mission Control has given Atlantis the go for deorbit burn!
2:23 p.m. - There are less than 20 minutes until the deorbit burn for
Atlantis. The orbiter is being reoriented so its tail is in the direction of
travel.
2:30 p.m. - With less than 15 minutes left to go before the deorbit burn,
Mission Control is in constant communication with astronaut Scott Altman,
who is flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft, regarding the weather at
Edwards.
2:43 p.m. - DEORBIT BURN! Flight control confirms Atlantis' two engines are
burning normally as the vehicle begins its descent toward Earth. During the
burn, Atlantis flies upside down and backwards to decrease its speed.
2:46 p.m. - The orbiter will perform a series of roll maneuvers, banking
first to the right and then to the left to help slow down its speed as it
descends for a landing.
2:48 p.m. - The convoy of landing support vehicles is moving to the staging
point on the runway at Edwards.
2:53 p.m. - The Atlantis crew is now maneuvering the shuttle to the best
position for landing on Runway 22 at Edwards. The orbiter is less than an
hour from touchdown.
2:56 p.m. - The crew of STS-117 will be dumping excess fuel overboard.
3:05 p.m. - After nearly two weeks in space, Atlantis and the crew are
headed home.
There are six main events in the landing sequence: deorbit burn, entry
interface, maximum heating, exit blackout, terminal area and approach and
landing.
3:10 p.m. - All APUs, or auxiliary power units are working normally. These
units power pumps used to power Atlantis' hydraulic systems.
3:18 p.m. - Atlantis is approaching entry interface, which usually takes
place at an altitude of about 80 miles and more than 5,000 statute miles
from the landing site. At this point in the landing phase, the orbiter
begins to feel the first effects of the Earth's atmosphere.
Sunita Williams is riding back to Earth lying on her back. She has lived in
the weightless conditions aboard the International Space Station since
December. It is common for astronauts returning from long-duration missions
to recline during the return to Earth to ease the transition back to
gravity.
3:23 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling 25 times the speed of sound.
3:25 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling at 16,500 miles per hour and will perform
a series of roll maneuvers, banking first to the right and then to the left
to help slow its speed as it descends toward landing. Early in this segment
of reentry, the orbiter's orientation is controlled by the aft steering
jets.
3:29 p.m. - During reentry and landing, the orbiter is not powered by
engines and flies like a high-tech glider, relying first on its steering
jets and then its aerosurfaces to control the airflow around it.
3:35 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling at a speed of 15,000 miles per hour.
3:38 p.m - Atlantis is at 165,000 feet and traveling at 10,000 feet per
second.
3:43 p.m. - Commander Rick Sturckow is now controlling Atlantis and he has
Runway 22 in sight.
3:49 p.m. - Touchdown! Atlantis has safely landed at Edwards Air Force Base
in California.
3:50 p.m. - Atlantis' wheels have come to a stop. Welcome home, Atlantis,
after completing a journey of more than five million miles.
3:53 p.m. - The crew will now work through a checklist for shutting down the
orbiter and "safing" the vehicle.
3:58 p.m. - The external tank umbilical doors have been opened.
4:02 p.m. - The crew has been given the okay to begin powering down the
onboard computers and will be able to depart the orbiter in about 45
minutes.
4:06 p.m. - The orbiter's three APUs have been shut down.
4:08 p.m. - The astronauts have been cleared to remove their orange
flight-and-entry suits. Work to safely shut down Atlantis' systems is
continuing.
4:11 p.m. - The recovery operations convoy has arrived. When the vehicle is
considered safe from all potential hazards and free of toxic gases, the
purge and coolant umbilical access vehicle moves into position at the rear
of the orbiter.
4:16 p.m. - The crew transport vehicle has pulled up to the orbiter. There
are beds and comfortable seats inside so the astronauts can receive medical
checks immediately after returning to Earth.
4:22 p.m. - The main gear (rear wheels) touchdown was at 3:49:38 p.m., nose
gear was at 3:49:49 p.m., wheels stop was at 3:50:48 p.m. for a total
mission time of 13 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes and 44 seconds.
Now that Atlantis has landed, it will have about six months to be readied
for its next flight: STS-122. It will again fly a new segment to the
International Space Station.
4:43 p.m. - Once Atlantis is determined "safed," all crew members will exit
the orbiter and enter the crew transport vehicle, a modified "people mover."
There will be a physician on board to facilitate the brief medical exams.
4:56 p.m. - The crew has entered the crew transport vehicle and are
undergoing their medical checkups.
5:10 p.m. - Some of the crewmembers will take their typical walk around the
orbiter for one last look at the ship.
The astronauts and their families will be flown to Houston, Texas, for their
well-deserved reunion after a very successful mission.
coverage:
At 10:25 a.m. EDT, Atlantis was given the go-ahead from Mission Control to
close the 60-foot-long payload bay doors in preparation for landing.
Astronaut Steve Lindsey is in the air to provide weather reconnaissance at
the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy, relaying weather information to
Mission Control in Houston. Astronaut Scott Altman is ready to take off in a
T-38 jet aircraft at Edwards to monitor the weather conditions for the
secondary landing site.
Atlantis commander Rick Sturckow was instructed to go for "Ops 3" at 10:42
a.m. This action transitions the software to the onboard computers that is
used for entry and landing.
The Atlantis crew members donned their orange launch-and-entry suits and
after suiting up, will take their assigned seats for reentry. Commander
Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault have been seated and are going through
their checklists.
Mission Control is discussing the "go/no go" for fluid loading. This means
the astronauts will drink large amounts of fluids to aid them in their
re-acclimation into Earth's gravity. Each crewmember will drink
approximately 40 ounces of water -- about eight ounces every fifteen minutes
-- and take salt pills to help them increase their fluid volume. Crewmembers
will drink chicken consume, orange-aid or water.
12 p.m. - Welcome to the coverage of the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis,
coming to you from the NASA News Center at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The orbiter is set to land today after a challenging but successful mission
to the International Space Station.
Both landing opportunities were waved off yesterday due to possible
thunderstorm activity over the Florida landing site. There are five landing
opportunities today; two at Kennedy and three at Edwards Air Force Base in
California.
12:07 p.m. - Mission Control has waved off the first landing attempt at
Kennedy. There are potential showers in the area of the landing facility
violating weather constraints.
12:10 p.m. - The second landing opportunity at Kennedy would be at 3:55 p.m.
and 3:49 p.m. EDT at Edwards. The flight controllers are weighing both
options with Kennedy being the preferred landing site.
12:20 p.m. - Space Shuttle Atlantis is 213 statute miles above the Pacific
Ocean in orbit around the Earth.
12:53 p.m. - Astronauts Steve Lindsey and Scott Altman have taken to the
skies on the east and west coast to monitor weather conditions for both
Kennedy and Edwards landing opportunities.
Atlantis has two different runway options when landing at Kennedy: Runway 33
at the Shuttle Landing Facility is used when the orbiter comes in from the
southeast and Runway 15 is used when it comes in from the northwest. The
runway determination is largely based on wind direction and speed.
1:11 p.m. - Altman is flying a Shuttle Training Aircraft, a modified
Gulfstream business jet. The aircraft is built to mimic the orbiter's glide
to Earth. He can then relay to Atlantis what to expect if the orbiter should
land at Edwards today.
1:25 p.m. - If landing is scheduled for Edwards Air Force Base, a ferry
flight to bring the orbiter back to Kennedy for processing could take place
after about 7 days.
1:35 p.m. - Mission Control has given the crew the go ahead for fluid
loading.
1:50 p.m. - After assessing the weather data flight controllers had to wave
off the second landing opportunity for Kennedy. The forecast for Edwards
appears to be clear.
1:55 p.m. With NASA planning to land Atlantis at Edwards Air Force Base in
California, the orbiter would fire its Orbital Maneuvering System engines at
2:43 p.m. EDT, 11:43 a.m. PDT.
1:57 p.m. - The landing time for Edwards would occur at 3:49 EDT, 12:49 PDT
with deorbit burn a little less than an hour prior.
2:12 p.m. - Fifty space shuttle missions have landed at Edwards Air Force
Base. The most recent was STS-114, when Discovery landed at the California
base in 2005.
The orbital maneuvering system engines are crucial for entry. The two
engines housed in the pods at the end of the orbiter, act as a brake in
space that allows the orbiter to fall into the atmosphere back to Earth.
2:16 p.m. - Atlantis will shortly be given the command for deorbit burn
scheduled for 2:43 p.m. EDT. The deorbit burn will slow Atlantis by 200 mph,
causing it to fall out of orbit and begin the descent for landing.
2:19 p.m. - Mission Control has given Atlantis the go for deorbit burn!
2:23 p.m. - There are less than 20 minutes until the deorbit burn for
Atlantis. The orbiter is being reoriented so its tail is in the direction of
travel.
2:30 p.m. - With less than 15 minutes left to go before the deorbit burn,
Mission Control is in constant communication with astronaut Scott Altman,
who is flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft, regarding the weather at
Edwards.
2:43 p.m. - DEORBIT BURN! Flight control confirms Atlantis' two engines are
burning normally as the vehicle begins its descent toward Earth. During the
burn, Atlantis flies upside down and backwards to decrease its speed.
2:46 p.m. - The orbiter will perform a series of roll maneuvers, banking
first to the right and then to the left to help slow down its speed as it
descends for a landing.
2:48 p.m. - The convoy of landing support vehicles is moving to the staging
point on the runway at Edwards.
2:53 p.m. - The Atlantis crew is now maneuvering the shuttle to the best
position for landing on Runway 22 at Edwards. The orbiter is less than an
hour from touchdown.
2:56 p.m. - The crew of STS-117 will be dumping excess fuel overboard.
3:05 p.m. - After nearly two weeks in space, Atlantis and the crew are
headed home.
There are six main events in the landing sequence: deorbit burn, entry
interface, maximum heating, exit blackout, terminal area and approach and
landing.
3:10 p.m. - All APUs, or auxiliary power units are working normally. These
units power pumps used to power Atlantis' hydraulic systems.
3:18 p.m. - Atlantis is approaching entry interface, which usually takes
place at an altitude of about 80 miles and more than 5,000 statute miles
from the landing site. At this point in the landing phase, the orbiter
begins to feel the first effects of the Earth's atmosphere.
Sunita Williams is riding back to Earth lying on her back. She has lived in
the weightless conditions aboard the International Space Station since
December. It is common for astronauts returning from long-duration missions
to recline during the return to Earth to ease the transition back to
gravity.
3:23 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling 25 times the speed of sound.
3:25 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling at 16,500 miles per hour and will perform
a series of roll maneuvers, banking first to the right and then to the left
to help slow its speed as it descends toward landing. Early in this segment
of reentry, the orbiter's orientation is controlled by the aft steering
jets.
3:29 p.m. - During reentry and landing, the orbiter is not powered by
engines and flies like a high-tech glider, relying first on its steering
jets and then its aerosurfaces to control the airflow around it.
3:35 p.m. - Atlantis is traveling at a speed of 15,000 miles per hour.
3:38 p.m - Atlantis is at 165,000 feet and traveling at 10,000 feet per
second.
3:43 p.m. - Commander Rick Sturckow is now controlling Atlantis and he has
Runway 22 in sight.
3:49 p.m. - Touchdown! Atlantis has safely landed at Edwards Air Force Base
in California.
3:50 p.m. - Atlantis' wheels have come to a stop. Welcome home, Atlantis,
after completing a journey of more than five million miles.
3:53 p.m. - The crew will now work through a checklist for shutting down the
orbiter and "safing" the vehicle.
3:58 p.m. - The external tank umbilical doors have been opened.
4:02 p.m. - The crew has been given the okay to begin powering down the
onboard computers and will be able to depart the orbiter in about 45
minutes.
4:06 p.m. - The orbiter's three APUs have been shut down.
4:08 p.m. - The astronauts have been cleared to remove their orange
flight-and-entry suits. Work to safely shut down Atlantis' systems is
continuing.
4:11 p.m. - The recovery operations convoy has arrived. When the vehicle is
considered safe from all potential hazards and free of toxic gases, the
purge and coolant umbilical access vehicle moves into position at the rear
of the orbiter.
4:16 p.m. - The crew transport vehicle has pulled up to the orbiter. There
are beds and comfortable seats inside so the astronauts can receive medical
checks immediately after returning to Earth.
4:22 p.m. - The main gear (rear wheels) touchdown was at 3:49:38 p.m., nose
gear was at 3:49:49 p.m., wheels stop was at 3:50:48 p.m. for a total
mission time of 13 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes and 44 seconds.
Now that Atlantis has landed, it will have about six months to be readied
for its next flight: STS-122. It will again fly a new segment to the
International Space Station.
4:43 p.m. - Once Atlantis is determined "safed," all crew members will exit
the orbiter and enter the crew transport vehicle, a modified "people mover."
There will be a physician on board to facilitate the brief medical exams.
4:56 p.m. - The crew has entered the crew transport vehicle and are
undergoing their medical checkups.
5:10 p.m. - Some of the crewmembers will take their typical walk around the
orbiter for one last look at the ship.
The astronauts and their families will be flown to Houston, Texas, for their
well-deserved reunion after a very successful mission.
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