HOUSTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The space shuttle Atlantis and the international space station crew said goodbye Sunday as the shuttle crew prepared to head back to Earth.
The shuttle astronauts are scheduled to undock Monday after 10 days in space, maneuvering to a distance of 45 miles from the orbital base for a pre-landing inspection of the heat shielding on the wings and nose of their ship, the Houston Chronicle reported.
If the heat shield scan reveals damage, the Atlantis astronauts could return to the station to attempt repairs or await rescue.
The shuttle successfully delivered the European Columbus science module to the station. Atlantis is scheduled to touch down at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but also has three more landing opportunities Wednesday in Florida and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
