The shuttle departed as the spacecraft soared nearly 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the Pacific, just northeast of New Guinea. Over the past week, the astronauts stockpiled the outpost and performed maintenance that should keep it running for another five to 10 years.
Atlantis is scheduled to land on Friday morning at NASA’s spaceport in Florida Astronaut Nicole Stott, on her way home after three months in orbit, said goodbye to the five colleagues she left behind on the space station. “It was a real pleasure working with you guys,” she radioed. “I was blessed with a wonderful crew, and I look forward to seeing you guys on the ground real soon.”
“We’ll miss you,” said fellow American astronaut Jeffrey Williams, who’s just two months into a six-month mission. A Belgian on board who will be leaving the space station next week in a Russian capsule told Stott to take care. “Have a safe trip home,” Frank De Winne said. Wednesday was the 89th day in space for Stott, a 47-year-old engineer. She flew to the space station at the end of August. She said she can’t wait to see her husband and 7-year-old son, and to have a pizza.
Spaceman Randolph Bresnik is also eager to get back. His wife gave birth to their second child, Abigail Mae Bresnik, on Saturday in Houston -- shortly after his first spacewalk.
