Atlantis Closes Payload Doors; Mission Control Eyes Weather

A second landing opportunity is available today if flight controllers choose to pass on the first.

The Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., awaits the arrival of space shuttle Atlantis. Image credit: NASA TV

(HOUSTON) - The Atlantis crew closed space shuttle Atlantis’ payload bay doors this morning in preparation for a landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. landing, which is slated for 1:55 PM EDT, will mark the end of a successful mission to the International Space Station.

If flight controllers give STS-117 the go-ahead to land on Orbit 202, Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee Archambault will fire Atlantis’ thrusters at 12:50 PM to begin the descent to Florida.

Meanwhile at the Mission Control Center in Houston, flight controllers and forecasters with the Spaceflight Meteorology Group continue to monitor weather conditions at and around the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Florida spaceport. The main concern is thunderstorms in the area.

Chief Astronaut Steve Lindsey is providing additional weather information as he flies a T-38 aircraft in the vicinity of the landing facility.

A second landing opportunity is available today on Orbit 203 if flight controllers choose to pass on the first.

It calls for a 2:25 PM deorbit burn and a 3:30 PM touchdown in Florida.

Opportunities are available Friday in Florida and at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Atlantis launched June 8th and arrived at the station June 10th.

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.

Atlantis also delivered a new station crew member, Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson.

He replaced astronaut Suni Williams, who is the new record holder for a long-duration single spaceflight for a woman. She arrived at the station in December with STS-116.

If Atlantis lands on the first opportunity, Williams’ spaceflight will end at 193 days, 16 hours and 8 minutes.

STS-117 is the 118th shuttle mission and 21st mission to visit the space station.

The next mission, STS-118, is slated to launch in August.