[sarex] Poor Weather Delays Landing; Next Opportunity at 1930 UTC

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C#31468

*Poor Weather Delays Landing; Next Opportunity at 3:30*

Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space CenterImage above: The Shuttle 
Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
awaits the arrival of space shuttle Atlantis. Image credit: NASA TV

TO VIEW CLOUD CONDITIONS GO TO:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.ht

An unfavorable weather forecast at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., forced 
flight controllers to pass on STS-117’s first landing opportunity. Hopes 
now turn to the day’s second opportunity at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

The culprit is thunderstorms in the vicinity of the Shuttle Landing 
Facility. Flight controllers and forecasters with the Spaceflight 
Meteorology Group continue to monitor weather conditions at and around 
the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Florida spaceport.

Chief Astronaut Steve Lindsey has been providing additional weather 
information while flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft in the vicinity 
of the landing facility.

If flight controllers give STS-117 the go-ahead to land on the second 
opportunity, Orbit 203, Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Lee 
Archambault will fire Atlantis’ thrusters at 2:25 p.m. to begin the 
descent to Florida.

If flight controllers wave off for second time today, opportunities are 
available Friday in Florida and at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Atlantis launched June 8 and arrived at the International Space Station 
June 10. While at the orbital outpost, the crew installed the Starboard 
3 and 4 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. If Atlantis lands on 
the first opportunity, Williams’ spaceflight will end at 193 days, 16 
hours and 8 minutes. STS-117 is the 118th shuttle mission and 21st 
mission to visit the space station. The next mission, STS-118, is slated 
to launch in August.

STS-117 is the 118th shuttle mission and 21st mission to visit th