Atlantis Crew Prepares May 26 Landing

The six-astronaut crew aboard space shuttle Atlantis is currently undergoing final preparations for their return trip home. Currently in orbit around Earth, the orbiter is scheduled to make its landing attempt tomorrow morning, at 8:48 am EDT (1248 GMT). The spacecraft will head for the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, where astronauts hope to land on time, unless the weather has something to say about this. Another landing option is to head for California, where the Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) is capable of accommodating a landing shuttle, Space reports.

Throughout today, May 25, astronauts packed and secured supplies, handled routine operations, and tested their orbiter's flight systems. They are getting ready for atmospheric reentry, arguably one of the most difficult and dangerous stages of the flight, other than the lift-off part. As such, everything needs to work like clockwork, and this is what today's tests are meant to ensure. The current crew is composed of STS-132 Commander Kenneth Ham, pilot Dominic Antonelli, and astronauts Garrett Reisman, Piers Sellers, Stephen Bowen and Michael Good, all mission specialists.

“The crew will power up one of the auxiliary power units that provide its hydraulic power to the aerosurfaces on Atlantis and they will check those out along with some navigational aids that are used to find the landing site. Once those are complete, the crew will proceed into some cabin stow activities and Atlantis will be ready to come home. The crew is doing exceedingly well and we all look forward if all goes well, to the return of Atlantis to the Kennedy Space Center,” said yesterday Mike Sarafin, who is the lead shuttle flight director at NASA.

The final results of the heat shield inspection are also due to arrive today, and what they have to say is critical for how the mission will go on from now. There are no serious reasons for concern, NASA officials said, as preliminary results show the ceramic shield to be in perfect health. “We expect an answer by the crew's midday meal or early-to-mid-morning Houston time, and once we get that answer, the final clearance for reentry will be given relative to Atlantis' heat shield,” Sarafin added. “The early weather forecast at the Kennedy Space Center is typical for a spring attempt. There is a chance of low clouds and a chance of showers,” the NASA official concluded.