Image above: This is a view of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it performs a fly-around of the space station. Image credit: NASA TV

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Atlantis undocks from Space Station

STS-117’s constructive stay at the International Space Station came to a close today when space shuttle Atlantis undocked.

The two spacecraft parted ways at 10:42 a.m. EDT as they flew over the Coral Sea northeast of Australia.

After Pilot Lee Archambault backed the orbiter 450 feet from the station, he performed a full fly-around to allow crew members to collect video and imagery of the station and its newly expanded solar wings. He then completed the final separation engine burn at 12:28 p.m.

Later in the day, Archambault and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson will use the shuttle robot arm and the 50-foot long Orbiter Boom Sensor System to conduct a late inspection of the thermal protection system.

The crew will spend Wednesday preparing for landing. Atlantis’ first landing opportunity is at 1:54 p.m. Thursday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

During its stay at the station, which began June 10, the STS-117 crew continued the on-orbit construction of the station with the installation of the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment.

Astronaut Clayton C. Anderson, KD5PLA

The crew installed the truss June 11 and conducted four spacewalks to activate the S3/S4 and assist in the retraction of solar array on the Port 6 truss.
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, KD5PLA. He replaced astronaut Suni Williams, KD5PLB, 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.