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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'Mystery object' delays shuttle | 'Mystery object' delays shuttle |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US space agency's Atlantis shuttle has had its Wednesday landing postponed after an unidentified object was seen floating near the vehicle. | The US space agency's Atlantis shuttle has had its Wednesday landing postponed after an unidentified object was seen floating near the vehicle. |
| The delay will give engineers an opportunity to investigate the incident - and time for poor weather at the Florida landing strip to pass. | |
| "The mission management team has decided to keep Atlantis 24 more hours in orbit," a Nasa spokesman said. | "The mission management team has decided to keep Atlantis 24 more hours in orbit," a Nasa spokesman said. |
| Atlantis is returning from the space station where it attached solar wings. | Atlantis is returning from the space station where it attached solar wings. |
| The first opportunity for a touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center is now 0615 EDT (1015 GMT) on Thursday. | The first opportunity for a touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center is now 0615 EDT (1015 GMT) on Thursday. |
| The mystery object appears on video taken by a shuttle camera. It has been described as small and dark, and coming possibly from the ship's payload bay. | The mystery object appears on video taken by a shuttle camera. It has been described as small and dark, and coming possibly from the ship's payload bay. |
| It was noticed as astronauts were testing the vehicle's jets in preparation for the return to Earth. | It was noticed as astronauts were testing the vehicle's jets in preparation for the return to Earth. |
| Tourist arrival | |
| Mission Control has told the astronauts on Atlantis to hold off packing away the shuttle's robot arm and television antenna in case further inspections are required. | Mission Control has told the astronauts on Atlantis to hold off packing away the shuttle's robot arm and television antenna in case further inspections are required. |
| "The question is: what is it? Is it something benign, or is it something more critical we should pay attention to?" said Wayne Hale, the space shuttle programme manager. | "The question is: what is it? Is it something benign, or is it something more critical we should pay attention to?" said Wayne Hale, the space shuttle programme manager. |
| "We want to make sure we're safe before committing to that critical journey through the atmosphere." | "We want to make sure we're safe before committing to that critical journey through the atmosphere." |
| Even before the unexplained object came to the attention of engineers, Nasa was considering a change to the scheduled landing time because of unfavourable weather forecasts at Kennedy. | Even before the unexplained object came to the attention of engineers, Nasa was considering a change to the scheduled landing time because of unfavourable weather forecasts at Kennedy. |
| Atlantis is making its way home from a construction visit to the International Space Station. The orbiter undocked on Sunday to make way for a Soyuz craft that is heading to the platform with a new crew and the first female space tourist, Anousheh Ansari. | |
| The US businesswoman is expected at the station with the new commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and flight engineer Mikhail Tyurinat at 0524 GMT on Wednesday. |