CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 18 (UPI) -- The hatches between the space shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station were closed Monday ahead of the shuttle's return to Earth, NASA said.
After returning the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module to Atlantis' cargo bay and holding an emotional farewell ceremony, both crews are preparing for undocking, in preparation for the shuttle's return to Earth and a 5:56 a.m. landing Thursday morning at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Raffaello was used to deliver about 4 tons of supplies, including a ton of food, to the ISS.
The undocking is set for early Tuesday, after which Atlantis will move away to a distance of about 600 feet and then circle around the station to photograph the 400-ton structure to check on its status.
Returning to Earth for the shuttle program's final landing are commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.
