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Author
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Topic: STS-122: Columbus sets sail for space station
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 07:59 AM
   
Long range tracking cameras now showing the first faint views of Atlantis as it approaches the Cape.
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:02 AM
Atlantis preparing to go sub-sonic, 4.5 minutes to touchdown. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:03 AM
BOOM-BOOM! Atlantis now crossing the speed of sound as sonic booms are heard at the landing site.Commander Steve Frick is now in manual control of Atlantis. |
Jerri
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 02-20-2008 08:04 AM
Couldn't see it but just heard the twin sonic booms. Yeah!!!!------------------
Jerri |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:04 AM
Alan Poindexter, pilot, now taking a turn at the stick. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:05 AM
Commander Steve Frick now back in control, aligning Atlantis for a touchdown on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility.
"Houston, Atlantis, runway is in sight," reports Frick. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:07 AM
 
Touchdown! Space shuttle Atlantis has landed on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. The orbiter traveled 5,296,842 statute miles during 202 orbits of the Earth for a mission duration of 12 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds. "Welcome home Atlantis, welcome home Dan, and congrats on delivering Columbus to its new world," said capcom Jim Dutton at confirmation of wheels stop. "It's been a great mission. We're extremely happy to be home. Such a beautiful day in Florida. Can't wait to see our families who were hopefully all at the stands here watching," replied STS-122 commander Steve Frick from his seat aboard Atlantis' flight deck. "We appreciate all the great help and support from the folks here at Kennedy and all over NASA, especially at Johnson Space Center Mission Control, for keeping us safe while we were airborne and bringing us safely home," Frick concluded. Today's landing marks the 67th space shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center and the 17th landing for Atlantis in Florida. STS-122 was the 29th mission for OV-104. Atlantis weighed 206,212 pounds at landing, approximately 61,000 pounds less than when it launched on Feb. 7. The orbiter has 2,040 pounds of equipment stowed within its middeck, setting a new weight record for landing. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:16 AM
Landing times: - Main gear touchdown:
12 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes, 40 seconds
8:07:10 a.m. CST
- Nose gear touchdown:
12 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes, 55 seconds
8:07:20 a.m. CST
- Wheels stop:
12 days, 18 hours, 22 minutes, 38 seconds
8:08:08 a.m. CST
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:50 AM
 With the crew leaving the orbiter, commander Steve Frick signed off with a message to capcom Jim Dutton and flight director Bryan Lunney (son of Gemini and Apollo-era flight director Glynn Lunney). "We're just happy to be on the ground and looking forward to seeing our families in a few minutes. Hey, congratulations to you. You did a tremendous job both on ascent and entry for your first flight as an ascent/entry capcom and congratulations to Bryan for his first entry as an ascent/entry flight director. The team did a great job and I look forward to seeing you all when we get back to Houston," said Frick. "Thanks a lot Steve, and looking forward to it as well," replied Dutton. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 09:48 AM
 STS-122 astronauts Steve Frick, Alan "Dex" Poindexter, Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Stan Love and Hans Schlegel exited the crew transport vehicle and performed the customary walk-around of their spacecraft. ISS flight engineer Dan Tani remained in the vehicle as was expected, given his longer time in space. "Well hey, good morning or afternoon, I'm not really sure, our clocks get a little twisted up on orbit," said commander Frick as he and his crewmates stood in front of Atlantis. "It's great for the 122 crew to be back on the ground here at the Kennedy Space Center on our first try. As you can see, the weather is gorgeous and it looked just as nice from up high as it does from down here." "Atlantis is a great ship. It brought us home without any troubles and everything worked just beautifully and perfectly. We're obviously very excited that our mission is complete and was successful. We got everything done we had hoped to get done. We came home safely. The ship and mission control kept close watch over us and kept us safe." "We are going to go now and see our families. As you can imagine, a space shuttle mission, both the mission and training is very tough on the families and they've had a very tough time for the last two weeks as we're up in space and they're not comfortable or happy until we get home. So, we're glad that we can bring some relief to them and we're looking forward to going seeing them in just a few minutes. So, thanks very much!" said Frick. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-20-2008 10:55 AM
Has NASA told us what the problem Hans Schlegel experienced earlier in the mission? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 11:08 AM
quote:
Originally posted by garymilgrom:
Has NASA told us what the problem Hans Schlegel experienced earlier in the mission?
NASA has not, and it is policy/law that they will not unless the crew member waives his right to medical privacy. Schlegel was asked about the nature of his illness while he was in space and declined to answer. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 11:08 AM
Photographs from NASA:
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 12:36 PM
Atlantis has been moved from where it landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility back to the Orbiter Processing Facility where it will be serviced and prepared for its next flight, STS-125, the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.
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contra
Member Posts: 318
From: Kiel, Germany
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 02-20-2008 12:46 PM
What a great mission!!! Especially for ESA.Just hope all the missions to come this year will be as successful as STS-122. Stefan |
irish guy
Member Posts: 287
From: Kerry Ireland
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 02-20-2008 03:05 PM
Thanks Robert and everyone for the wonderful photos and coverage as usual. Welcome home to the crew and especially Dan Tani. |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 02-20-2008 06:20 PM
With the successful landing of ATLANTIS, it's time for the best/favorite picture from the mission!!! Mine is this one taken by Stanley Love during EVA 3. Great shot of Captains Frick and Poindexter. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-20-2008 08:33 PM
Maybe not the best of the flight, but these two (or three) are a great way to close out today's landing.
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spaceman1953
Member Posts: 953
From: South Bend, IN
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 02-20-2008 08:50 PM
And may God continue to guide Dan every step of the way over the next several days.Gene |
ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 02-21-2008 08:16 AM
Superb coverage Robert. I personally thank you. |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 02-22-2008 05:37 PM
I want one of those hats the crew wore as they left ATLANTIS. Anyone know if they are available? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-22-2008 05:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by NavySpaceFan:
Anyone know if they are available?
Those were produced for the crew and NASA employees, possibly by Lands End. They were not offered to the public, to my knowledge. |
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