Saturday, February 09, 2008

Live in orbit: Flip ends, OMS pod photographed














Click for video.

Atlantis has finished the "flip" maneuver that allowed astronauts on the ISS to photograph the orbiter to look for damage. The spacecraft are less than 600 feet apart.

Atlantis shortly will move toward docking with the International Space Station about 12:25 p.m. EST.

During the flip maneuver, astronauts in the ISS focused cameras on an apparent tear in an insulation blanket on the starboard Orbital Maneuvering System pod. The tear appeared to be several inches wide and is located on the outside curve of the pod.

Tears in the OMS pod blankets have been reported on other missions, and orbiters have re-entered the atmosphere safely. During STS-117, astronaut Danny Olivas made temporary repairs to an OMS pod blanket during a spacewalk.

Click for STS-122 fact sheet.

Click for NASA-TV schedule, which gives a mission timeline.












The Orbital Maneuvering System pod is just below the rudder.

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