Space shuttle Atlantis cleared for landing
- 22 July 2011: Space Shuttle Atlantis landing concludes program
- 8 July 2011: End of an era: Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on final mission in program
- 27 May 2010: Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center
- 14 May 2010: Space Shuttle Atlantis launches for the final time
- "Unidentified object contributes to delay of shuttle landing" — Wikinews, September 19, 2006
- "Successful launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis" — Wikinews, September 9, 2006
Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis is one of the fleet of space shuttles belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It was the fourth operational shuttle built. Following the destruction of Columbia, it is one of the three fully operational shuttles remaining in the fleet. The other two are Discovery and Endeavour. After it completes STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope service mission, Atlantis is scheduled to be the first shuttle retired from the fleet.
- Discovery
- Endeavour
- Columbia (destroyed)
- Challenger (destroyed)
For more info on U.S. and other human spaceflight initiatives, please explore the links below.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
NASA has given the 'ok' for the Space Shuttle Atlantis to land on Thursday September 21. NASA also says that there was "no damage" to the shuttle when astronauts spotted a piece of debris floating next to the shuttle.
"We are cleared for entry. Nothing was found to be missing or damaged from the thermal protection system, the heat shield of the space shuttle Atlantis, or, in fact, any other part of the shuttle Atlantis," said N. Wayne Hale Jr., the shuttle's program director.
The debris is believed to be a piece of plastic from under the shuttle's heat tiles. A similar piece was seen by cameras falling from inbetween the heat shield tiles, but when the camera took another look, there was nothing to be found. Hale says that the source of the debris is unknown and that "we [NASA] may never know" where it came from.
"This is most likely the culprit. It was there before, it's not there now. It was most likely shaken loose during the flight control system checkout. We probably will never know for sure," added Hale.
Astronauts used Atlantis's robotic arm to check the shuttle and its heat shield for any signs of damage.
Sources
- Richard Green. "NASA Says Shuttle Atlantis Safe to Land Thursday" — Voice of America, September 20, 2006
- Warren E. Leary. "NASA Clears Shuttle for Return" — New York Times, September 20, 2006
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