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Shuttle cleared for Earth return Atlantis shuttle returns to Earth
(about 17 hours later)
Nasa has cleared the space shuttle Atlantis for a return to Earth, after inspections found no damage to the spacecraft from nearby orbiting debris. The space shuttle Atlantis has touched down safely in Florida, ending a 12-day mission to re-start construction of the International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts aboard the Atlantis shuttle have now spotted several small objects floating in space outside the orbiter. The shuttle made a perfect landing on runway 33 at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center just after 0621 EDT (1021 GMT).
It was the discovery of drifting debris on Tuesday that prompted officials to postpone Wednesday's planned landing. A planned return on Wednesday was postponed after astronauts spotted several mysterious objects floating in space outside the orbiter.
The US space agency is happy, however, that none of the items seen so far poses a risk to the vehicle. But inspections found no damage to the spacecraft from the nearby debris.
"The vehicle is in good shape and we're going to march to de-orbit tomorrow," astronaut Terry Virts told the shuttle crew after a meeting of top Nasa managers. And the US space agency was happy that none of the items posed a risk to the vehicle.
The shuttle's first landing opportunity at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is at 0621 EDT (1021 GMT) on Thursday. Engine burn
The Atlantis astronauts have used a robotic arm and camera system to inspect the ship's heatshield to confirm it has not been damaged. At 0514 EDT (0914 GMT) and orbiting at a speed of 29,000km/h (18,000 mph), Atlantis initiated a three-minute engine burn to commit the spacecraft for the trip back to Earth.
A cockpit's eye-view shows the nighttime landingThe "de-orbit" burn slowed the shuttle's velocity by about 329km/h, just enough to slip the craft out of orbit and begin the plunge through Earth's atmosphere.
As the shuttle flew upside-down and backward over the Indian Ocean on its hour-long dive back to Earth, temperatures outside reached nearly 1,650 C (3,000F).
The space station's new commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Nasa science officer Jeff Williams watched the return from the ISS, reporting a bright plasma trail as Atlantis descended to Earth.
During Atlantis' stay at the ISS, crew members attached new solar wings to the space station - doubling its power generating capability. This was the first construction mission to the orbiting platform in four years, following the grounding of Nasa's fleet in the wake of the Columbia disaster.
The shuttle and its six-strong crew left the ISS on Sunday.
Holiday in spaceHoliday in space
Even if there had been no floating debris, Nasa would probably have had to change the scheduled touchdown time anyway because of unfavourable weather at the Florida landing site. Thursday's outlook is much brighter. On Wednesday, space tourist Anousheh Ansari and two other crew members of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft entered the space station after docking smoothly with the orbiting platform at 0121 EDT (0521 GMT).
Atlantis is currently in transit from the space station where it attached new solar wings. It left the platform on Sunday. Controllers in Houston scrutinised the re-entry intentlyMs Ansari arrived at the station with Lopez-Alegria and Mikhail Tyurin - the relief crew for the ISS.
The new arrivals were greeted warmly by the station's current crewSpace tourist Anousheh Ansari and two other crewmembers of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft have entered the International Space Station (ISS) after docking smoothly with the orbiting platform at 0121 EDT (0521 GMT) on Wednesday. The three new arrivals were greeted warmly by the station's current inhabitants, commander Pavel Vinogradov, Williams and European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut Thomas Reiter.
Ms Ansari arrived at the station with Michael Lopez-Alegria and Mikhail Tyurin - the relief crew for the ISS.
During a radio link-up with the space tourist's relatives on Earth, Tyurin assured them: "We'll look after her".
The trio blasted off on 18 September on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The hatch to the ISS was opened at about 0430 EDT (0830 GMT). The three new arrivals were greeted warmly by the station's current inhabitants, commander Pavel Vinogradov, Nasa science officer Jeff Williams and European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut Thomas Reiter.
Ms Ansari, an American businesswoman, is the first female space tourist and the fourth private space traveller to visit the ISS following Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen.Ms Ansari, an American businesswoman, is the first female space tourist and the fourth private space traveller to visit the ISS following Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen.
The trio blasted off on 18 September on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Ms Ansari's space holiday lasts until the end of the month. She will then come back to Earth with Vinogradov and Williams.Ms Ansari's space holiday lasts until the end of the month. She will then come back to Earth with Vinogradov and Williams.