Tech Shout!

From the time National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had decided to launch the Atlantis Space Shuttle for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), it has been a roller coaster ride for the authorities, crew as well as the people down on Earth. Now, the Atlantis is all set to return along with astronaut Sunita Williams.

The crew at the ISS had to face a lot of challenges. Just after the space shuttle docked to the space station, the crew and the authorities at NASA found that there was a little damage to the thermal blanket that protects a space shuttle during the re-entry. After that, the computers in the Russian section of the ISS failed. But the crew managed to get them back.

Phil Engelauf, Chief of the Flight Directors’ Office said, “Yes, we think we’re back to where we’re supposed to be in terms of normal routine operations and reliability.”

Station Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin said, “Have a good, safe landing. Until we see you again.” He said this before the hatches were closed. The shuttle and space station crews said their farewells to each other. The shuttle is now on its way and Sunita Williams, who now holds the record for being in space for the longest time (194-day record) by a woman. She said she was very sad to say goodbye to ISS.

NASA has said that the Atlantis Space Shuttle was on schedule and departed at.1440 hrs GMT on Tuesday. It is expected to land at 1752 hrs GMT at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will be a much tensed moment for the authorities, crew and people in general especially after the Columbia disaster, when the space shuttle had exploded in mid-air causing the death of all the crew members.