Space Shuttle Atlantis heads home

Shuttle Atlantis heads home after successful mission to install the Columbus laboratory to the ISS

The space shuttle Atlantis left the International Space Station (ISS) to begin their journey back home. Atlantis departed today from the International Space Station and is scheduled to touch down at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday morning.

Reuters reported that Atlantis was cleared to decouple Atlantis commander Stephen Frick radioed commander of the ISS Peggy Whitson said, “We just want to thank you for being a great host. We had a great time. Learned a lot. Thank you.” Whitson replied, “It’s a great hall where the new additions. Arrived home safe and thank you”.

The objective of this mission of the crew of Atlantis was to deliver and install the new Columbus laboratory of Europe. The delivery and installation of Columbus was delayed for six years due in part to the loss of the shuttle Columbia over Texas in 2003.

The crew of Atlantis completed three spacewalks during the mission. One of the spacewalks was installing a new tank of nitrogen gas to ensure that the stations ammonia refrigerant lines, as well as connecting two experiments in the science stations external reports Reuters.

ISS flight engineer Dan Tani drove a return to Earth on Atlantis to return to Earth after it mission was extended from December to February, due to a problem with the sensor in the fuel line of Atlantis. French Leopold Eyharts took over the post of engineer and the ISS is scheduled to return on Endeavour in March 2008.

The space shuttle Atlantis was the first shuttle launched in 2007 and was also the first shuttle launched in 2008.