Advertisement

Help
You are here: Rediff Home » India » News » PTI
Search:  Rediff.com The Web
Advertisement
  Discuss this Article   |      Email this Article   |      Print this Article

Sunita Williams awaiting Atlantis arrival
Seema Hakhu Kachru in Houston
Related Articles
Sunita Williams in Space: Coverage

Get news updates:What's this?
Advertisement
June 10, 2007 17:39 IST

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams along with the other crew in the International Space Station [Images] are busy making final preparations for the arrival of the Atlantis shuttle, which is to bring her back after a six-month stay there, the longest for any woman.

As the shuttle, scheduled to dock at 3:38 pm (0108 IST on Monday), closes in on the ISS, the stage is set for changes at the station and for its crew members.

Atlantis blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida [Images] on Friday to begin a two-day chase of the station.

During the 11-day mission, Atlantis' crew will continue the on-orbit construction of the ISS.

They will deliver a new power tower to the space lab, an addition that will provide electricity for science laboratories built by the Europeans and Japanese.

Rick Sturckow is commanding the shuttle and on board are pilot Lee Archambault, mission specialists Patrick Forester, James Reilly, Seven Swanson and John Olives and flight engineer Clayton Anderson who will replace Williams.

Atlantis is slated to undock from the station on June 17, the day after flight engineer Williams breaks the record for the longest spaceflight ever by a woman.

The record, 188 days and 4 hours, is currently held by NASA [Images] astronaut Shannon Lucid.


© Copyright 2007 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
 Email this Article      Print this Article

© 2007 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | Feedback