HOUSTON, June 19 (UPI) -- Space shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station, ending its 10-day mission and starting its journey back to Earth.
Springs pushed the shuttle from the space station at 10:42 a.m. EDT Tuesday before the shuttle fired its steering jets. Soon after undocking a laser positioned at the end of the shuttle's robotic arm was used to inspect the spacecraft for any damage that might prevent it from safely re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The shuttle's STS-117 crew said farewell to the space station's Expedition 15 crew Monday evening before the hatches closed and ended joint operations.
Atlantis arrived at the station June 10. The STS-117 crew, among other things, continued the construction of the station and repaired part of the shuttle's thermal blanket.
Atlantis also delivered a new station crew member, Clayton Anderson who replaced Suni Williams, who is now the record holder for a long-duration single spaceflight for a woman. She arrived at the station in December.
Atlantis is to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:54 p.m. EDT Thursday.
