General Chat

Mr Walker I believe it has just landed.

Just seen that the shuttle has fired its engines at 2:43 p.m. EDT (about 7:43 pm here) to land about now at Edwards Air Force Base in California . it must be an amazing experience...

I see the return has been delayed due to bad weather, but from looking at the NASA website there are 5 landing opportunities for today. The first landing opportunity is at 2:18 p.m. EDT (I think that makes it 7:18pm here) and the approach is on orbit 218 According to the website 'If controllers elect to take it, Commander Rick Sturckow will perform the deorbit burn at 1:12 p.m. to begin the descent to Kennedy.' Quite fascinating, my kids are enthralled..........

a Comparison of times.. example (our time.UK)User Timezone BST! 9:40 a.m. US. time, CDT Friday, 22 June 2007GMT - 5:00 (Central Daylight / Summer Time)03:40:26 CDT. 3:40 a.m. Friday, 22 June 2007GMT our time UK 8:40 a.m.(GMT)Friday, 22 June 2007 Bob a useful site....remove the *....yes it IS wwp. http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.*com/time-zone/usa/central-time/

Different times Bob ? Ive got mine from the NASA site cripes well have to keep a look out wont we. It will be good as its a day landing & you see the pilots perspective as he/she lands Hope I dont miss it E x

CDT times Entry Flight Director Norm Knight indicated that the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, would be the only landing site considered Thursday, based on consumables that provide flexibility to land as far out as Sunday. The weather forecast shows a chance of rain showers within 30 miles of the runway at landing time with a cloud deck at 5,000 feet – both are landing violations. The plan calls for a deorbit engine firing at 11:50 a.m. for the 12:55 p.m. landing and a 1:25 p.m. deorbit burn for the 2:30 p.m. landing opportunity. If landing is moved to Friday, two landing opportunities would be available in Florida and two in California at the Edwards Air Force Base. Three sites would be available Saturday in order of preference – Florida, California or at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. LOL Same source, NASA, with two sets of times......LOL

Thanks Anne Ill amend the times now E x

During its scheduled final full day in space, the STS-117 crew prepared for landing. Two opportunities are available on Thursday for Space Shuttle Atlantis to land at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Wednesday’s preparations included stowing equipment and checking out systems that will be used to deorbit Atlantis and begin the descent to Earth. Also, the seven crew members took time out of their schedules to talk with reporters from NBC News, ABC News and CNN Live. The first landing opportunity available is on Orbit 202, which calls for the deorbit burn to occur 12:50 p.m. EDT ( GMT 5.50pm)Thursday with a 1:55 p.m.(GMT 6.55pm ) touchdown. The final opportunity of the day is on the next orbit. It begins with the deorbit burn at 2:25 p.m (GMT 7.25pm). and ends with a 3:30 p.m. landing. (GMT 8.30pm ) Weather forecasts call for a possibility of thunder showers in the area. Flight controllers and forecasters with the Spaceflight Meteorology Group will continue to monitor the weather at Kennedy. The STS-117 crew members are returning home from a construction mission to the International Space Station. They installed the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) 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.

Elaine - Yes we are 5 hours ahead of Florida :O))

,Due to land today at either 6.55pm first attempt or 8.30pm second attempt at landing.