| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010 5:28 am |
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Nation & World 
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Shuttle Atlantis leaves space station, headed home CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early today and headed home with one astronaut eager to hold his newborn daughter for the first time and another who’s been away from her young son since the summer.Before signing off from Mission Control, flight director Mike Sarafin wished the seven crew members a happy Thanksgiving and a good landing on Friday. “We’ll do our best to stay sharp until the round things stop rolling,” replied commander Charles Hobaugh. The shuttle departed as the spacecraft soared nearly 220 miles above the Pacific, just northeast of New Guinea. Over the past week, the astronauts stockpiled the outpost and performed maintenance that should keep it running for another five to 10 years. Atlantis is scheduled to land Friday morning at NASA’s spaceport in Florida. Astronaut Nicole Stott, on her way home after three months in orbit, said goodbye to the five colleagues she left behind on the space station. “It was a real pleasure working with you guys,” she radioed. “I was blessed with a wonderful crew, and I look forward to seeing you guys on the ground real soon.” “We’ll miss you,” said fellow American astronaut Jeffrey Williams, who’s just two months into a six-month mission. A Belgian on board who will be leaving the space station next week in a Russian capsule told Stott to take care. “Have a safe trip home,” Frank De Winne said. Wednesday was the 89th day in space for Stott, a 47-year-old engineer. She flew to the space station at the end of August. She said she can’t wait to see her husband and 7-year-old son, and to have a pizza. Spaceman Randolph Bresnik is also eager to get back. His wife gave birth to their second child, Abigail Mae Bresnik, on Saturday in Houston — shortly after his first spacewalk. A few hours after the undocking, the shuttle astronauts pulled out a 100-foot, laser-tipped inspection boom and conducted one final survey of the wings and nose of their ship. They needed to make sure the vulnerable thermal shielding was not damaged by micrometeorites over the past week. The astronauts interrupted the routine surveillance to look at a clogged nozzle, part of the shuttle’s waste water removal system. Only about half of the collected urine and condensation could be dumped overboard earlier in the day, and Mission Control wanted to see if ice might be blocking the nozzle. Nothing unusual was spotted. Sarafin said even if the nozzle cannot be cleared, it won’t affect the astronauts unless the landing is delayed beyond Friday. Among the measures the crew might have to employ in that case: using Apollo-style bags instead of the toilet for urinating. Fortunately, good landing weather is expected Friday morning. Atlantis’ cargo bay — brimming with big spare parts when it arrived at the space station last Wednesday — was empty. The astronauts installed the equipment during three spacewalks and performed other work to keep the station operating long after the retirement of NASA’s three shuttles next fall. The next shuttle visit, by Endeavour, is in February. |
- Sorry, Hawkeye; M*A*S*H gets bowled over
- Former Whidbey student shot
- County archive software paid for but waiting for set-up
- Ruling expected on Sultan beating statement
- ‘Roadkill’ caucus seeks a voice for centrist Democrats
- Police seek witnesses in two accidents
- PAWS calls out for critter care-givers
- Boeing has a busy test schedule
- Ex-Boeing engineer jailed for espionage
- Morning mystery: What happened to House Bill 3181?
- Lynnwood sets height limit on grass: 8 inches
(10) - State Senate votes to toss I-960's tax-raising hurdle (9)
- School levies in Snohomish County all passing, Marysville bond failing (6)
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood (4)
- County archive software paid for but waiting for set-up (3)
- Vote on school levies by Tuesday (3)
- Two suspects sought in Everett shooting that injured two (3)
- Lynnwood makes law against too tall lawns (3)
- Schools do well in levy elections (2)
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last (2)
- Jackson girls outlast Meadowdale owdale
- OBT raises barre in children’s program
- Junior firefighters
- School levies passing
- Mavericks topple Wolfpack
- Get a second look at Second City Feb. 13
- Sports Briefs
- Warriors advance 11 to regional meet
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
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