Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Space shuttle Atlantis

Shuttle and Station Crews Bid Farewell

Space shuttle Atlantis’ astronauts said farewell to the International Space Station’s crew at 12:43 p.m. EST and crossed the threshold into the shuttle. Next the crews will close the hatches that divide the two spacecraft. Once the hatches are closed, the shuttle crew will set up and check out tools and a camera needed for undocking tomorrow.

Earlier, Commander Charles Hobaugh, Pilot Barry Wilmore and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Mike Foreman, Randy Bresnik, Robert Satcher Jr. and Nicole Stott joined European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne and the Expedition 21 crew when he ceremonially handed over command of the station to NASA astronaut Jeff Williams.

On Sunday, Bresnik told the flight controllers his new daughter, Abigail Mae Bresnik, had been born in Houston at 11:04 p.m. CST Saturday. He said his wife Rebecca and new daughter, 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long, were doing well. Bresnik got the news by private phone patch through mission control shortly after the crew was awakened.