The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis safely returned to Earth this morning after a successful mission installing the S1 Truss Segment.

The total distance Space Shuttle Atlantis and the STS-113 traveled was 4.5 million miles. Main gear touchdown occurred at 11:43.40 a.m. EDT with a mission elapsed time (MET) of 10 days, 19 hours, 57 minutes and 49 seconds.

Nose gear touchdown occurred at 11:43.48 EDT with an MET of ten days, 19 hours, 57 minutes and 57 seconds. Wheel stop occurred at 11:44.35 EDT with an MET of ten days, 19 hours, 58 minutes and 44 seconds.

The crew and Orbiter were met by the new state-of-the art Convoy Command Vehicle commissioned earlier this year. The new 40-foot vehicle replaced a 15-year-old model, and will be used following Shuttle landings as the prime vehicle to control critical communications between the orbiter, the crew and the Launch Control Center, to monitor the health of the Shuttle Orbiter systems and to direct convoy operations at the Shuttle Landing Facility.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station yesterday and is making preparations to return to Earth tomorrow after a successful mission installing the S1 Truss Segment.

Landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) is slated to occur on orbit 170 at mission elapsed time 10 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes. The deorbit burn will occur at about 10:36 a.m. EDT. A second KSC landing opportunity is also available on Oct. 18 at 1:21 p.m. EDT with a deorbit burn coming at 12:16 p.m. EDT. No landing opportunities are planned for the back-up landing location at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), Calif., on Friday.

The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis met up with the crew of the International Space Station when the orbiter and ISS docked yesterday in preparation of installation of the S1 Truss Segment.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis flawlessly lifted off Launch Pad 39-B yesterday at 3:45:51 p.m. and roared toward space with the six member crew to begin the 111th shuttle mission and the 15th mission to the International Space Station (ISS).  The crew is preparing to dock with the ISS tomorrow at 11:29 p.m. to deliver the S1 Truss Segment.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis flawlessly lifted off Launch Pad 39-B today on time at 3:45:51.074 p.m. and rocketed toward space with the six member crew to begin the 111th Shuttle mission and the 15th mission to the International Space Station (ISS).  The crew will dock with the ISS to deliver the S1 Truss Segment on Oct. 9 at about 11:29 a.m. EDT.

Following the delay caused by precautionary measures taken to protect the Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas, from Hurricane Lili, the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-112 is now set for Monday, Oct. 7.  The preferred time of launch is 3:45:51 p.m. EDT.  The preferred launch window extends for about 5 minutes.  The planar launch window on Monday extends from 3:40:51 - 3:50:50 p.m. EDT with the preferred launch time reflecting a flight day three rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station. The launch window will be updated to coincide with the latest orbital position of the Space Station and will be announced at the T-9 minute hold.

STS-112 is a scheduled 11-day mission with a planned KSC landing at about 11:46 a.m. EDT on Oct. 18.  This mission marks the fifteenth Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the fourth Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-112 is the 26th flight of the orbiter Atlantis and the 111th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

On mission STS-112, astronauts will deliver the S1 Integrated Truss Structure and the Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart to the International Space Station. During the seven days Atlantis will be docked to the Station, three spacewalks will be performed dedicated to connecting the S1 truss to the S0 truss and to CETA cart installation to the Mobile Transporter already in place on the S0 Truss.

The STS-112 crew includes Commander Jeffrey S. Ashby, Pilot Pamela Ann Melroy, and Mission Specialists David A. Wolf, Sandra H. Magnus, Piers J. Sellers, and Fyodor Yurchikhin, a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency. 

REMAINING COUNTDOWN MILESTONES

*all times are Eastern

Launch-1 Day (Sunday, Oct. 6)

(As of 4 p.m. EDT, the countdown clock is in an extended built-in hold at the T-11 hour mark) 

* Complete flight crew equipment late stow

* Move Rotating Service Structure (RSS) to the park position (about 6 p.m.)

* Perform ascent switch list

* Fuel cell flow-through purge complete

Resume countdown at T-11 hours (11:50 p.m.)

Launch Day (Monday, Oct. 7)

* Activate the orbiter's fuel cells

* Clear the blast danger area of all nonessential personnel 

* Switch Atlantis' purge air to gaseous nitrogen

Enter planned 2-hour built-in hold at the T-6 hour mark (4:50 a.m.)

* Launch team verifies no violations of launch commit criteria prior to cryogenic loading of the external tank 

* Clear pad of all personnel

* Begin loading the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants (about 6:20 a.m.)

Resume countdown at T-6 hours (6:50 a.m.)

* Complete filling the external tank with its flight load of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants (about 9:20 p.m.)

* Final Inspection Team proceed to launch pad

Enter planned 2-hour built-in hold at T-3 hours (9:50 a.m.)

* Perform inertial measurement unit preflight calibration

* Align Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) tracking antennas

* Perform open loop test with Eastern Range

Resume countdown at T-3 hours (11:50 a.m.)

* Complete close-out preparations in the white room

* Check cockpit switch configurations

* Begin Eastern Range final network open loop command checks

* Primary ascent guidance data is transferred to the backup flight system

Enter planned 10-minute hold at T-20 minutes (2:30 p.m.)

* NASA Test Director conducts final launch team briefings

* Complete inertial measurement unit preflight alignments

Resume countdown at T-20 minutes (2:40 p.m.)

* Transition the orbiter's onboard computers to launch configuration

* Start fuel cell thermal conditioning

* Close orbiter cabin vent valves

* Transition backup flight system to launch configuration

Enter estimated 46-minute hold at T-9 minutes (2:51 p.m.)

* Launch Director, Mission Management Team and NASA Test Director conduct final polls for go/no go to launch

Resume countdown at T-9 minutes (about 3:37 p.m.)

* Start automatic ground launch sequencer (T-9:00 minutes)

* Retract orbiter crew access arm (T-7:30)

* Start mission recorders (T-6:15)

* Start Auxiliary Power Units (T-5:00)

* Arm SRB and ET range safety safe and arm devices (T-5:00)

* Start liquid oxygen drainback (T-4:55)

* Start orbiter aerosurface profile test (T-3:55)

* Start main engine gimbal profile test (T-3:30)

* Pressurize liquid oxygen tank (T-2:55)

* Begin retraction of the gaseous oxygen vent arm (T-2:55)

* Fuel cells to internal reactants (T-2:35)

* Pressurize liquid hydrogen tank (T-1:57)

* Deactivate SRB joint heaters (T-1:00)

* Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power (T-0:50 seconds)

* Ground Launch Sequencer go for auto sequence start (T-0:31 seconds)

* SRB gimbal profile (T-0:21 seconds)

* Ignition of three Space Shuttle main engines (T-6.6 seconds)

The countdown for Monday's launch attempt is scheduled to continue later today at the T-11 hour mark. All systems at KSC and Mission Control in Houston, Texas, remain ready to support launch activities. A week of hurricane safety precautions concluded with the successful power-up of the Mission Control Center (MCC) and the re-loading of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants in Atlantis' power reactant and storage distribution system at Launch Pad 39-B.

The MCC in Houston was powered down last week due to the projected path of Hurricane Lili threatening the Texas coast. Also, control of the International Space Station was transferred to the MCC in Moscow and later transferred back to Houston after the threat of the storm passed. The MCC has been reactivated and will "meet-up" with Kennedy Space Center during communication activation activities today.

Weather predictions indicate a 20 percent chance of launch criteria violations on Monday. The primary concern is for possible isolated thunderstorms due to a weak frontal boundary expected to move into northern Florida early this week.

Space Shuttle Atlantis is poised at the pad for its Monday launch to the International Space Station as Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston continues power-up procedures following a shut-down earlier this week due to the threat of Hurricane Lili.

Command and Control of the International Space Station has been re-established in Houston following the transfer of control to the MCC in Moscow due to the storm. Power-up and verification operations will continue throughout the weekend. The MCC plans to "meet-up" with Kennedy Space Center during communication activation activities and will be ready to support countdown activities beginning Sunday.

Over the weekend, the Launch Control Team at Kennedy Space Center will continue to monitor the vehicle and maintain its readiness to support launch on Monday. At Launch Pad 39-B, the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants of Atlantis' power reactant and storage distribution system was drained on Wednesday and preparations are in work to re-load tomorrow.

The STS-112 crew stayed in Florida this week and spent their time relaxing, reviewing flight plans and practicing entry procedures in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

Hurricane Lili made landfall well east of Houston, Texas, providing the Johnson Space Center team the opportunity to begin preparing for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on Monday, Oct. 7. 

Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston was powered down Wednesday morning due to the projected path of Hurricane Lili threatening the Texas coast.

After the treat of the storm passed, power-up and verification operations began in the MCC and will continue throughout the weekend. The MCC plans to "meet-up" with Kennedy Space Center during communication activation activities once the MCC is fully operational.

Command and Control of the International Space Station was transferred to Moscow yesterday evening and will be transferred back to the MCC  in Houston this evening.

During the next few days at the Kennedy Space Center, the Launch Control Team will continue to monitor the Shuttle Atlantis and maintain its readiness for launch on Monday. At Launch Pad 39-B, the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants of Atlantis' power reactant and storage distribution system were drained yesterday and preparations are in work to re-load them on Saturday.

The STS-112 crew stayed in Florida throughout this delay and spent their time relaxing, reviewing flight plans and practicing entry procedures in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

With Hurricane Lili expected to make landfall along the Louisiana coast Thursday afternoon, the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis has been postponed to no earlier than Monday, Oct. 7 so that the Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston can be secured and protected from potential storm impacts.

Currently, forecasters predict the storm will take a northerly turn later today. However, one usually reliable prediction model shows a slightly more westerly landfall. This could increase the probability of winds in excess 50 knots in the Houston vicinity that would require a precautionary closure of the Johnson Space Center.

Power down of the MCC began Tuesday evening and was completed earlier this morning. Command and Control on the International Space Station was transferred to the Mission Control Center in Moscow at about 5 a.m. today.

Following the passage of the storm, controllers in Houston will begin the process of bringing up and verifying all the control systems needed to support the STS-112 mission.

During the next few days at the Kennedy Space Center, the Launch Control Team will continue to monitor the vehicle and maintain its readiness to support launch attempts next week. At Launch Pad 39-B, the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants of Atlantis' power reactant and storage distribution system will be drained tonight and reloaded on Saturday. The countdown will resume at T-30 hours on Sunday, Oct. 6, when the launch control team begins activating communications systems.

The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis has been postponed to no earlier than Thursday, Oct. 3, while weather forecasters and the mission management team assess the possible effect Hurricane Lili may have on the Mission Control Center located at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

As preparations at the Kennedy Space Center progress smoothly toward Wednesday's scheduled launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, program managers continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Lili to assess the storm's potential impact to the Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

While Hurricane Lili poses no immediate threat to KSC, the storm is currently predicted to make landfall on the Gulf coast somewhere between Louisiana and Houston, Texas, near the end of the week. Mission managers will meet today to discuss the progress and forecast for Hurricane Lili.

At KSC, the launch control team is not tracking any serious issues at this time. Overnight, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants were loaded into Atlantis' power reactant and storage distribution system. Major activities today include activating communications systems later this afternoon and rolling back the Rotating Service Structure away from the orbiter this evening.  Should managers decide to proceed with launch, tanking operations will begin Wednesday morning.

Countdown for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis began on schedule over the weekend with no serious technical issues being addressed. Tonight, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen reactants will be pumped into Atlantis' onboard power reactant and storage distribution system. Atlantis remains scheduled for an on time launch Wednesday, Oct. 2 between the hours of 2-6 p.m. The exact launch time will be announced Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 1.

The S-one truss is in the orbiter's payload bay and the payload bay doors are closed for flight. No additional prelaunch activities are scheduled for the truss segment. 

The crew of mission STS-112 arrived at KSC Sunday morning, Sept. 29.  Today and tomorrow they will be reviewing their flight plans and flying in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). The crew is commanded by Jeff Ashby and piloted by Pam Melroy. Mission specialists include: David Wolf, Piers Sellers, Sandra Magnus and Fyodor Yurchikhin.

Air Force weather forecasters are currently predicting a 40 percent chance of violating launch criteria on Wednesday. The primary concerns are for possible local showers and thunderstorms.

The National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Lili will be a hurricane located in the Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday. Also, a strong area of high pressure will be located in the SE US on launch day. With the high pressure ridge to the north of KSC, deep easterly winds over Central Florida will bring showers in from off shore causing a concern for launch and for conditions at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Winds will also be somewhat gusty at KSC, but below wind constraints for launch.

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch:  40%

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting Tanking:  5%

Primary concern(s):  Precipitation at Complex 39B and within 20NM of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch for 48 hour delay:  20%

Primary concern(s): Precipitation at Complex 39B and within 20NM of the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Sunrise:  2 Oct 0716 EDT
Moonrise:  2 Oct 0248 EDT
Illumination:  24%
Sunset:  2 Oct 1908 EDT
Moonset:  2 Oct 1654 EDT

SRB Retrieval Forecast: Wind: 070 degrees 12 - 15 knots Seas: 6 feet

Water Temp: 82 degrees

Next Forecast will be issued:  Tuesday, 1 October 2002/07:00 EDT

Final preparations for next week's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station continue on schedule. Launch countdown preparations continue today following the completion of aft compartment closeouts, door installation and confidence checks.

Final electrical checks of the External Tank camera are also being conducted today.

Final preparations for Atlantis' lift-off to the International Space Station continue in work and on schedule. Payload installation is complete and payload bay doors are closed for flight.

Yesterday, the crew for STS-112 was in town for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test which has been concluded successfully.

NASA'S SHUTTLE ORBITER ATLANTIS READY FOR NEXT HISTORIC MISSION

At the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review held today at Kennedy Space Center, NASA mission managers set Oct. 2 for the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS). Mission STS-112 will continue the expansion of the vast orbiting outpost including additions to the first space railroad.

Atlantis will launch between 2 and 6 p.m. EDT. The precise launch time will be announced about 24 hours before liftoff.

Atlantis is carrying the first starboard integrated truss segment, S-One (S1), to the ISS as well as what will be the first pickup truck in space.

The 45-foot truss structure adds to the length of the space railroad and provides the necessary cooling and power systems for future international expansion of the space laboratory. Attached to the truss, the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts.

"Engineering and ground processing teams have done outstanding work in the past few months to ensure the readiness of Atlantis for a safe flight," NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore said. "Because of the dedication and hard work of these teams, we have resolved the technical issues and are ready to resume the task of assembling the International Space Station. Atlantis is in great shape and ready to fly."

Jeff Ashby (Capt., USN) will command Atlantis, and Pam Melroy (Col., USAF) will serve as pilot. Mission specialists will be David Wolf (M.D.), Sandra Magnus (Ph.D.), Piers Sellers (Ph.D.) and Russian Space Agency Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin (Ph.D.). This will be Magnus', Sellers' and Yurchikhin's first shuttle mission, Ashby's third and Melroy's second. This will be Wolf's third mission, his most recent being a 119-day stay aboard the Russian Space Station Mir in 1997 and 1998. Wolf and Sellers will conduct three spacewalks during STS-112 to install and outfit the new truss structure and spacewalk work platform. 

Ground Support Equipment Status

Following a flawless roll of Atlantis to the launch pad, Crawler Transporter No. 2 will be checked for clocking of newly replaced bearings. A repair plan is in work with Crawler Transporter No. 1. Two cylinders will be removed next week if weather cooperates.

******

After being stacked with its Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank, Atlantis began its roll out to Pad 39B this morning at 2:27 a.m. in preparation for launch to the International Space Station. The Shuttle arrived at the Pad and was hard down at 9:38 a.m.

After technicians noted a concern in the mid-body regarding movement of the Manipulator Positioning Mechanism that is attached to the Remote Manipulator System in the payload bay, engineers determined that additional work can be performed while the vehicle is at the pad.

After being installed on the Orbiter Transporter, Atlantis' was moved yesterday morning to be stacked with the Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank in preparation for its launch to the International Space Station. After technicians noted a concern in the mid-body regarding movement of the Manipulator Positioning Mechanism that is attached to the Remote Manipulator System in the payload bay, engineers began reviewing information to determine a resolution and if additional work will be necessary. Potential work required can be performed while the vehicle is at the pad.

Nominal processing continues for Atlantis' launch to the International Space Station now scheduled for no earlier than Oct. 2. The orbiter is currently installed on the Orbiter Transporter in preparation for its move to be stacked with the Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank.

Over the weekend, technicians noted a concern in the mid-body regarding movement of the Manipulator Positioning Mechanism that is attached to the Remote Manipulator System in the payload bay.  Engineers are reviewing the information to determine a resolution and if additional work will be necessary.

Nominal processing continues for Atlantis' launch to the International Space Station now scheduled for no earlier than Oct. 2.

Closeouts of the orbiter's aft compartment are in work and Hydraulic/Flight Control Checkout is scheduled for this week.

Engineering evaluation continues on the cracks found in the bearings located in the JEL (jacking, equalization and leveling) cylinders on Crawler Transporter No. 2. Technicians have removed eight of the 16 cylinders to perform visual inspections of all 32 bearings on the crawler.

Processing continues for Atlantis' launch to the International Space Station. Polishing, welding and all testing has been successfully completed on the liquid hydrogen flow liners in the orbiter's Main Propulsion System (MPS). Preparations for engine installation are in work and installation is scheduled to begin late this evening.

Processing continues for Atlantis' launch to the International Space Station. Welding has been successfully completed on the cracks in the orbiter's Main Propulsion System (MPS) liquid hydrogen flow liners. Technicians continue to polish the microscopic rough edges of the holes on the upstream flow liners. Engine installation is scheduled for late this week. 

During inspections, technicians removed two of the 16 JEL (jacking, equalization and leveling) cylinders on Crawler Transporter No. 2 to gain access to the bearings for routine maintenance and found three of the four bearings had cracks.  Of the three bearings, two had extensive damage.