HOUSTON, June 20 (UPI) -- Space shuttle Atlantis crew members Wednesday focused on landing preparations, with the spacecraft to touch down Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center.
The STS-117 crew was busy stowing equipment and checking systems for the 1:55 p.m. EDT landing in Florida. Shuttle Cmdr. Rick Sturckow and pilot Lee Archambault were to test fire the shuttle's control jets in preparation for the de-orbit burn that will begin the descent to Florida. That burn was scheduled at 12:50 p.m. Thursday.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration controllers in Houston said two landing opportunities were available Thursday at the space center, although the possibility of thundershowers was forecast for the Cape Canaveral area.
Atlantis left the International Space Station Tuesday, after the crew conducted four spacewalks, assisted in the retraction of a solar array, continued the station's construction and repaired a damaged thermal blanket on the shuttle during its 10 days at the station.
