News From Space!

Orbiter processing of Endeavour is underway. NASA reports:

Endeavour Readies for August Launch

07.05.07 2:45 p.m. EDT
Fresh off the success of STS-117, NASA is quickly gearing up for the shuttle’s next visit to the International Station, the STS-118 mission, targeted for an Aug. 7 launch. The mission will deliver the S5 truss to the station and will mark the first flight of Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago.

Processing for STS-118 continues at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orbiter Endeavour arrived inside the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday after a short roll from the nearby Orbiter Processing Facility. In the assembly building’s transfer aisle, Endeavour was lifted vertically, transferred to a high bay and attached to its external tank and solid rocket boosters. STS-118 will be the first flight for Endeavour since 2002.

On July 3, Orbiter Atlantis made its graceful landing at Kennedy Space Center mounted atop a modified 747 jetliner called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, officially concluding the STS-117 mission.

+ STS-118 Mission Overview
+ STS-117 Mission Summary | + Photos and Videos

Preflight pics are up at the JSC Gallery and KSC Gallery. Discussion here.

After a $1.7 million, cross-country flight, the Atlantis orbiter is back at KSC.  NASA reports:

Atlantis Has Returned Home

Image above: The 747 aircraft carrying Atlantis makes a smooth touchdown at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. Photo credit: NASA/KSC

07.03.07 8:27 a.m. EDT

Atlantis is Home!

Image above: Atlantis returns to Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility. Image credit: NASA/KSC

Secured atop a modified 747 aircraft, Atlantis returned to Kennedy Space Center. The ferry-flight made the trip from Edwards Air Force Base in California to Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility, landing at 8:27 a.m. EDT July 3, 2007 officially concluding mission STS-117.

SCA landing video here. Discussion here.

Atlantis is making its way back home to KSC - on the back of a Boeing jumbo jet. The piggybacked craft made a stop in Kentucky today, and may stay through the July 4th holiday. NASA reports:

Orbiters on the Move: Atlantis Heads Home as Endeavour Prepares for Mission STS-118

07.02.07 12:00 p.m. EDT
Orbiter Atlantis is one step closer to Kennedy Space Center this morning after a refueling stop at Fort Campbell, Ky. Mounted atop a modified 747 jetliner called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Atlantis is on its way back to Florida after landing June 22 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., concluding the STS-117 mission.

At Fort Campbell, the ferry flight crew received a weather briefing and a determination was made to remain there overnight. Atlantis could arrive at the Florida spaceport on Tuesday if weather conditions permit.

Meanwhile, processing for the next mission, STS-118, continues at Kennedy. Orbiter Endeavour arrived inside the Vehicle Assembly Building this morning after a short roll from the nearby Orbiter Processing Facility. In the assembly building’s transfer aisle, Endeavour will be lifted vertically, transferred to a high bay and attached to its external tank and solid rocket boosters.

The STS-118 mission will deliver the S5 truss to the International Space Station and will mark the first flight of an educator astronaut, Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan. Launch is targeted for Aug. 7.

SCA takoff pics are up at the Dryden Gallery. More pics here. SCA video here. Follow the flight here and here.

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:

Atlantis Heads Home

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.

Atlantis is back on Earth! The ship touched down at 3:49PM EDT, on Runway 22 at Edwards, with bright, sunny weather on their side. NASA reports:

Atlantis Touches Down in California

Space Shuttle Atlantis arrived back on Earth in California, touching down at 3:49 p.m. EDT. Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault guided the vehicle as it made its steep descent from space toward the desert runway, accompanied by two T-38 chase jets. The landing concludes a successful 14-day construction mission to the International Space Station.

A convoy of landing support trucks and equipment headed out to begin safing the orbiter and assisting the flight crew.

After their successful construction mission to the International Space Station, the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis had another day in space thanks to yesterday’s landing postponement due to bad weather at the preferred landing location, Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That bad weather lingered today, forcing Mission Control to choose California as the landing spot.

Live discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

After waving off both landing opportunities for KSC, Atlantis is heading to Edwards Air Force Base in California.  NASA reports:

Atlantis En Route to California

Image above: Astronaut Scott Altman approaches the runway at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in a Shuttle Training Aircraft to assess landing conditions. Image credit: NASA TV

STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault fired space shuttle Atlantis’ engines at 2:43 p.m. EDT to begin the descent for a 3:49 p.m. landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Atlantis’ flight path will bring it over San Diego and just east of Los Angeles before it touches down at Edwards where it will be greeted by fair skies and light winds.

Rain showers forced flight controllers to wave off two landing opportunities at Kennedy.

Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

Five For Friday: Today we have  2 landing opportunities on the east coast, and 3 on the west coast. NASA reports:

STS-117 Crew Looks to End Mission Today

Image above: Atlantis’ first landing opportunity is at the Kennedy Space Center at 2:18 p.m. EDT. Image credit: NASA TV

Five landing opportunities are available today for space shuttle Atlantis and the STS-117 crew. Flight controllers and forecasters continue to monitor the weather at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Atlantis’ first landing opportunity is at 2:18 p.m. EDT on orbit 218. If controllers elect to take it, Commander Rick Sturckow will perform the deorbit burn at 1:12 p.m. to begin the descent to Kennedy. Orbit 219 provides opportunities at both landing sites – a 3:49 p.m. landing at Edwards and a 3:55 p.m. landing at Kennedy.

The second opportunity for the California base is on Orbit 220. The deorbit burn would occur at 4:18 p.m. with the landing at 5:23 p.m. The final opportunity is on Orbit 221 and it calls for the deorbit burn to occur at 5:56 p.m. with the landing at 6:59 p.m.

Thunderstorms in the vicinity of Kennedy forced flight controllers to wave off both opportunities Thursday. Today’s weather forecast for Kennedy calls for the threat of thunderstorms in the area and high winds are a possibility at Edwards. Opportunities are also available Saturday.

Atlantis launched June 8 and arrived at the International Space Station on June 10. While at the orbital outpost, the crew installed the Starboard 3 and 4 truss segment and conducted four spacewalks to activate it. During the third spacewalk, the crew repaired an out of position thermal blanket on the left orbital maneuvering system pod.

Live discussion here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

After Florida’s weather forced NASA to cancel both of today’s landing opportunities, Atlantis’ orbit will be tweaked to allow for an additional landing shot tomorrow. NASA reports:

Bad Weather Pushes STS-117 Landing to Friday

Image above: A camera atop the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., captured this view of the Shuttle Landing Facility on Thursday. Image credit: NASA TV

The STS-117 crew is getting an extra day in space thanks to poor weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Space shuttle Atlantis has five landing opportunities available Friday, with the first at 2:18 p.m. EDT in Florida.

The first opportunity Friday is on Orbit 218 and calls for a deorbit burn at 1:16 p.m. The second is on Orbit 219, with the deorbit burn at 2:52 p.m. and landing at 3:54 p.m. at Kennedy.

If Florida weather does not cooperate, three opportunities are available at Edwards. The first is on Orbit 219. This afternoon, the crew will adjust Atlantis’ orbit to set the stage for this opportunity, which has the deorbit burn occurring at 2:46 p.m. and landing at 3:49 p.m.

The second opportunity for the California base is on Orbit 220. The deorbit burn would occur at 4:21 p.m. and landing at 5:24 p.m. The final opportunity is one orbit later which calls for the deorbit burn to occur at 5:58 p.m. and landing at 6:59 p.m.

Friday’s weather forecast for Kennedy calls for the threat of thunderstorms in the area and high winds are a possibility at Edwards. Opportunities are also available Saturday.

Check the collection of mission news videos at Local6.com.