By TonyF on 1 July 2007 at 7:32PM
Atlantis is heading back to where she launched from, closing the loop on mission STS-117. After stops in Texas and Nebraska today, the piggybacked duo should arrive in Florida Monday or Tuesday - weather permitting. NASA reports:
Image above: NASA's modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with Atlantis on top lift offs to begin its ferry-flight back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas
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07.01.07 12:30 p.m. EDT
Early Sunday morning, Space Shuttle Atlantis began its journey back to Kennedy Space Center "piggy-backed" on top of a modified 747 jetliner called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
The enroute plan includes refueling stops and a stop overnight. The anticipated arrival at the Kennedy Space Center will be no earlier than Monday July 2 with a possibility of arriving Tuesday July 3 if weather conditions are not favorable for a Monday landing.
Atlantis landed at Edwards concluding a successful assembly mission to the International Space Station with Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault at the controls. Atlantis landed at 3:49 p.m. EDT on June 22.
The STS-117 mission astronauts returned to Johnson Space Center on Saturday, June 23. Their return was marked by a traditional welcome home ceremony at Ellington Field in Houston.
SCA takoff pics are up at the Dryden Gallery. More pics here. SCA video here. Follow the flight here and here.
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