[sarex] Flight Controllers Test Russian Computers;

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


	
  	*Flight Controllers Test Russian Computers; Management to Discuss 
Results*

S117-E-07686 --- STS-117 and Expedition 15 crewmembers gather for a 
group portraitImage above: The STS-117 and Expedition 15 crewmembers 
gather for a group portrait during a joint crew press conference in the 
Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station while Space 
Shuttle Atlantis was docked with the station. Image credit: NASA

TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Russian and U.S. flight controllers this morning tested the ability of 
Russian navigation computers to handle attitude control of the 
International Space Station. If the flight controllers and mission 
managers like what they saw, space shuttle Atlantis and the STS-117 crew 
will undock from the International Space Station and begin the journey 
home on Tuesday.

The STS-117 Mission Management Team is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. EDT 
to discuss the results of the test and an announcement of the decision 
about undocking is expected shortly after the meeting concludes.

The STS-117 crew is scheduled to bid farewell today to the Expedition 15 
crew before the hatches close at 6:23 p.m. between Atlantis and the 
station. Atlantis is slated to undock at 10:42 a.m. Tuesday.

STS-117 arrived at the station June 10, delivering the Starboard 3 and 4 
truss segment to the station. The crew installed the truss June 11 and 
conducted four spacewalks to activate the S3/S4 and assist in the 
retraction of a 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. 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.