Shuttle safely home ahead of satellite shootdown

[krispos42]

Source: CNN.com

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its crew returned to Earth on Wednesday, wrapping up a 5 million-mile journey highlighted by the successful delivery of a new European lab to the international space station.

The shuttle and its seven astronauts landed at 9:07 a.m. at NASA's spaceport at Kennedy Space Center, where the crew's families and top space program managers gathered to welcome them home.

<snip>

NASA wanted Atlantis back as soon as possible to clear the way for the Navy to shoot down a dying spy satellite on the verge of smashing into Earth with a load of toxic fuel.

<snip>

NASA's next mission is just three weeks away. Endeavour is scheduled to blast off with the first piece of Japan's massive space station lab on March 11.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/02/20/atlantis.ap/index.html

[Divine Discontent]

1. 3 weeks! wow.. cool! eom

[onehandle]

2. They will miss the total lunar eclipse that will happen tonight.

I'd be pissed off.

[The Croquist]

3. They'll miss the eclipse several times!

I think its a little weird about NASA wanting them down before they take on the satellite. The earths a big place, even bigger for 100 miles or so up. How big a mess do they expect to make?

[RantinRavin]

4. The missle utilizes heat seeking technology

and the shuttle puts out a LOT of heat.

[CRF450]

5. Not to mention, their would be alot of debre from the missle strike.